Haldwani, Jan. 30 -- The line transect survey, the first phase of the nationwide tiger census, has begun in the Haldwani forest division and the adjoining Nandhaur Wildlife Sanctuary, forest officials said. The three-day field exercise, which began on Wednesday, marks the initial stage of the multi-phase tiger estimation process being carried out as part of the full-scale tiger census scheduled for 2026 by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA). Divisional forest officer (DFO), Haldwani forest division, Kundan Kumar said the groundwork for the census has already started across key tiger landscapes. "The NTCA is conducting the full-scale tiger census in 2026 and the preliminary field activities have begun. During the line transect survey, forest staff will monitor tiger movement by tracking pugmarks, scat, urine and other physical signs," he aid. He added that along with carnivore signs, detailed information is being collected on herbivore populations, including species such as deer, sambar, chital and nilgai, as well as overall biodiversity. "This data helps determine prey density, which is a key factor in assessing big cat habitats. Evaluating the number and distribution of prey animals is crucial for accurately understanding tiger populations, their health and habitat quality. In simple terms, it provides a clear picture of the tiger's food chain," Kumar said. The collected data will also be used to identify suitable locations for installing camera traps in the next phase of the census. "The findings from this exercise will guide the deployment of trap cameras in the subsequent phase. The survey will continue for three days and all data will be submitted in digital format to experts for analysis," he added. The DFO further said that around 200 forest personnel from all five forest ranges under the Haldwani forest division and the Nandhaur Wildlife Sanctuary have been trained for the exercise. "Separate teams from each range will conduct surveys in their respective forest areas," he said....