Elephant population estimation begins in Erode Circle The Hindu May 17, 2023 See link <https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Coimbatore/elephant-population-estimation-begins-in-erode-circle/article66860849.ece> for photo. The synchronised elephant population estimation, involving 242 staff, began in Erode Circle on Wednesday. As many as 92 staff in Erode Division, 90 staff Sathyamangalam Division and 60 staff in Hasanur Division, both coming under Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve (STR), are involved in the exercise from May 17 to 19. The team comprises forest range officers, forest guards, foresters, forest watchers and anti-poaching watchers who will cover 110 forest blocks in the three divisions. Officials said that on Wednesday, staff were involved in direct sighting of elephants. On Thursday, staff would be involved in indirect survey in the blocks by walking along transect lines of two km and identifying dungs on both sides of the line. On Friday, staff would undertake a waterhole census to identify the elephants coming to the water bodies from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. N. Venkatesh Prabhu, District Forest Officer, Erode Division, said staff in the forest ranges of Anthiyur, Bargur, Chennampatti and Thattakarai and from Mettur Forest Range in Salem Division were given orientation in Anthiyur on May 15. The collected data would be sent to Mudumalai Tiger Reserve for compilation. As per the synchronised elephant census conducted in STR in 2017, the elephant population was estimated to be about 700 to 800. https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Coimbatore/elephant-population-estimation-begins-in-erode-circle/article66860849.ece