Animals census in STR to use mobile app to record data

Erode: For a animals census, which would start on Wednesday at the Sathyamangalam forest here, the forest department has planned to record data through a mobile app. For the purpose a group of officers from T N Palayam forest range were given training to use the app.

The department usually take census of wild animals during winter season. Usually the data were entered manually. “This time we would use a mobile app to record error-free information,” said C Sakthivel, a biologist at Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve (

STR

).

Officials team would count number of deer, leopard, tiger, haina, dhole, bear and other animals in the forest. “They would go at least 8km into the forest,” Sakthivel said. The app could be used offline too. “The exact information about the wild animal will be recorded in the app and in the government records,” he added.

About 50 officers would be involved in the census, said T N Palayam forest ranger Manoj Kumar. Last year, the department used GPRS gadgets during the census at STR.