Telangana calls on NGOs, students to help track tigers for AITE 2026

Hyderabad: The Telangana Forest Department has called upon citizens, students, NGOs and wildlife enthusiasts to participate in the All-India Tiger Estimation (AITE) 2026, one of the country’s largest wildlife monitoring exercises.

The programme is being coordinated by the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), Dehradun and the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA).

Nationwide effort covering 8.27 lakh sq km

The AITE 2026 will span over 8.27 lakh square kilometres of India’s forests and protected areas, covering more than 65,000 forest beats across the country. The large-scale exercise aims to estimate tiger populations while also assessing the status of prey species, habitat conditions, and human-wildlife interactions.

Telangana’s tiger reserves and key habitats

Telangana, home to the Amrabad and Kawal Tiger Reserves, forms a crucial link in the Deccan landscape’s tiger corridors. The Amrabad Reserve, located in the Nallamala hills, is one of India’s largest tiger habitats, while Kawal in northern Telangana serves as a critical corridor connecting forests of Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh.

Officials said that accurate data from these regions will help assess population trends and habitat health, aiding in long-term tiger conservation planning for the state.

Volunteer roles and responsibilities

Volunteers enrolling for Phase I of the AITE 2026 in Telangana will work alongside forest officials to conduct transect and trail walks within designated forest beats. These walks involve recording both direct sightings of wildlife and indirect evidence such as tracks, scats, pellets, and other signs of animal presence.

In addition to wildlife monitoring, participants will assist in habitat quality assessments, vegetation sampling, and documentation of human and cattle pressures within the landscape. All field data will be recorded using the M-STrIPES mobile application, developed by WII and NTCA for real-time data collection.

Eligibility and requirements

According to the department’s press release, participants must:

• Be between 18 and 60 years of age

• Be capable of walking 10–12 km per day over rugged forest terrain

• Commit to the entire seven-day duration of the fieldwork

Volunteers will be provided with basic accommodation and simple, locally sourced food during the survey. They are required to bring trekking shoes and personal essentials suitable for forest conditions.

Registration details

Registrations are open until November 22 through the official link: https://tinyurl.com/aite2026tg.

For further information or queries, participants can contact the Forest Department helpline numbers 18004255364 or 914023231440, WhatsApp 9803338666, or email aite2026tg@gmail.com.

Monitoring India’s apex predator

The All-India Tiger Estimation, conducted every four years, is a key component of India’s wildlife monitoring framework. It provides scientific data on tiger populations and helps shape conservation strategies.

Telangana’s participation in this national exercise is expected to contribute valuable insights into the state’s tiger habitats, prey density, and forest health, furthering India’s long-term commitment to conserving its apex predator.