The Tamil Nadu Forest Department announced the start of the first phase of the All India Tiger Estimation (AITE) 2026 on January 5. This survey will run in seven-day cycles in forest divisions until the end of February. AITE, the world's largest wildlife monitoring exercise, occurs every four years. It is led by the National Tiger Conservation Authority and the Wildlife Institute of India. The exercise measures tigers, co-predators like leopards, wild dogs, and hyaenas, and the mega herbivore prey-base such as gaur and several deer species. The survey includes habitat assessment using sign surveys, line transects, camera trapping, and genetic sampling. Tamil Nadu, home to five tiger reserves—Kalakad Mundanthurai, Anamalai, Mudumalai, Sathyamangalam, and Srivilliputhur-Megamalai—is fully participating. The state's tiger numbers have grown from 264 in 2018 to 306 in 2022. Chief Wildlife Warden Rakesh Kumar Dogra stated the exercise will cover all tiger reserves, other tiger habitats, and private estates with major carnivore presence. Frontline staff, volunteers, and technology like camera traps and the M-STrIPES monitoring system will be used. Interested people can register with tiger reserve offices ahead of time.