Drone count of Sangai, Kharsa conducted
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, March 14 2019:
For the first time in the country, a headcount of Sangai found in Keibul Lamjao National Park (KLNP) was carried out using drones.
The headcount carried out by the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) with assistance of the State Forest Department began from February 23 and Kharsa found in the park was also counted.
WII scientist Dr SA Hussain told The Sangai Express that it was the first time in the country that the number of Sangai and Kharsa found in KLNP were counted using drones.
The headcount carried out using two drones and officials of Uttarakhand was an experiment to count wild animals using newer technology, Dr SA Hussain said.
Apart from counting Sangai and Kharsa, ground and thermal census was also done.
A report of the survey would be furnished to the State Forest Department, he said.
He said that further monitoring would continue by requisitioning two more drones in addition to the two drones used for the head-count.
Notably, a survey carried out by the Forest Department last year put the total number of Sangai in KLNP at over 260 and the total population of Kharsa between 227 and 368 .
On the other hand, Forest Department has been carrying out a tiger survey along with WII Biologists at Chingkao and Buning of Tamenglong.