The eagerly anticipated Waterhole Animal Census occurred on Thursday night in Maharashtra, coinciding with Buddha Purnima, when forest visibility was optimal. This annual exercise is conducted by all Tiger Reserves and Wildlife Sanctuaries in the state on Buddha Purnima.
During the recent Waterhole Animal Census, several tiger reserves and wildlife sanctuaries in Maharashtra participated, including Pench Tiger Reserve (PTR), Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR), Umred Paoni Karhandla Wildlife Sanctuary (UPKWS), Melghat Tiger Reserve, and Bor Tiger Reserve (BTR).
A total of 2,698 wild animals were spotted, with 2,380 in core areas and 318 in buffer zones. Notably, Pench recorded 18 tiger sightings, split evenly between core and buffer zones, with prominent sightings in Deolapar and East Pench ranges. Additionally, PTR spotted six leopards, four in the core and two in the buffer. In UPK, 657 animals were sighted, including nine tigers, predominantly in Kamandla and Kuhi.
Various other species were also observed, including sambhar, spotted deer, wild boar, and Indian Gaur. Noteworthy sightings included a honey badger in the Chorbauli core area. Machans were allocated on a first-come, first-served basis, with a significant increase in participation this year, resulting in 71 machans being made available. Of these, 37 were in Pench buffer ranges and 34 in UPK’s Karhandala, Kuhi, and Paoni Wildlife ranges.
attendees were tasked with observing wildlife from 3 pm on May 22 to 8 am on May 23, recording animals visiting waterholes. PTR provided transportation to their respective machans and served food, along with providing T-shirts and caps. Similarly, TATR erected 79 machans, with 150 participants paying for transportation and bringing their food. While the exact count of animals in TATR is pending, positive feedback from tourists suggests the census was well-received. The waterhole census aids tiger reserve management in species assessment and promotes wildlife conservation awareness.