Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) Prem Kumar Jha said the internal assessment reflects routine fieldwork carried out every month. Camera traps across multiple zones captured unique stripe patterns of 32 tigers, including nine growing cubs documented two months earlier.

The rise comes ahead of the 2025 National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) census report, expected next June. Officials said the internal numbers will undergo validation once the central audit begins.

The tiger census in Similipal is currently underway in two stages. In phase one, 103 trained forest staff track movement, document pugmarks, and log signs through NTCA-linked mobile apps. Phase two, starting December 1, will deploy nearly 1,500 camera traps to map carnivore distribution, territorial activity, and prey density.

Forest teams will analyse geo-tagged images to confirm each tiger’s identity. Final numbers will emerge after the NTCA submits its nationwide report.

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