Monitoring Tigers (Phase I-IV)
The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) and the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) follow a standardized, science-based framework for monitoring tigers, co-predators, prey and their habitats across India. The monitoring programme combines field surveys, remote sensing, camera trapping and statistical analysis to assess wildlife populations and guide conservation management.
Phase I – Field Assessment and Occupancy
Phase I provides a rapid assessment of tiger habitats across the country. Field teams record carnivore signs, tiger prey, human disturbance, habitat condition and dung counts. These data are used to map wildlife distribution and estimate relative abundance and occupancy.
Phase II – Landscape and Habitat Assessment
Phase II integrates remotely sensed and spatial data with field information. Variables such as forest cover, NDVI, habitat patch size, elevation, river density, protected-area connectivity, roads, night lights and human pressure are assessed. These factors help explain patterns of tiger occupancy and abundance across landscapes.
Phase III – Intensive Population Estimation
Phase III involves systematic field surveys by trained wildlife biologists. Camera trapping is used for individual identification and estimation of tiger abundance and density through spatially explicit capture–recapture methods. Line-transect distance sampling is used to estimate prey abundance, while Phase I information on carnivores, habitat and human disturbance is also collected.
Phase IV – Annual Intensive Monitoring
Phase IV is conducted annually at the Tiger Reserve level, focusing on intensive monitoring of tiger populations and their prey. It includes camera trapping, prey sampling, beat-level monitoring, patrolling records and other field-based assessments.
Together, Phases I-III provide a four-yearly, country-level assessment, while Phase IV provides annual, intensive monitoring within Tiger Reserves. The combined information helps managers track population trends, prey availability, habitat conditions and threats, and supports evidence-based and adaptive tiger conservation.