News Context: Forest officials in Telangana are conducting the All India Tiger Enumeration at the Kawal Tiger Reserve from January 19 to 26, 2026.
- Strategic Location: Kawal is situated at the southernmost tip of the Central Indian Tiger Landscape, acting as a vital corridor connecting Tadoba-Andhari (Maharashtra) and Indravati (Chhattisgarh).
- Tiger Influx: Officials are optimistic due to increased tiger movement from Maharashtra’s Tadoba reserve via the Kagaznagar forest division, where hundreds of acres of encroached land were recently restored.
- Technological Edge: For the first time, the census involves volunteers alongside forest staff, using a combination of M-STrIPES (Monitoring System for Tigers-Intensive Protection and Ecological Status), pugmark tracking, and high-density camera traps.
IAS-2026 - OPTIONAL / GEOGRAPHY / PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION / SOCIOLOGY / ANTHROPOLOGY / ORIENTATION ON 03 & 04-10-2025 
