Total of 4497 wild animals were found in the census. The census began at 10-0.30 am on May 10 and ended at the same time on the next day.

Forest department put up 82 machan in core forest and 109 in buffer zone near waterholes in TATR’s Kolsa, Moharli and Tadoba ranges. Machans are temporarily or permanently built structures near waterholes to spot animals as they come to drink water. More than 150 volunteers from across the state and from different NGOs participated in the spotting of wildlife animals.

Vishal Mali, assistant conservator of forest, Nagpur, said, “Overall 62 tigers were spotted that include 35 in core forest area and 27 in buffer area.

Ten leopards, 54 blue bulls, 1240 spotted deer, 640 sambhar, 54 sloth bear, 35 wild dogs, 19 four horned antelope, 417 Indian guar and 42 toddy cats were found in core forest area.”

The buffer zone, spread over Palasgoan, Mul, Shivni, Chandrapur, Moharli ranges, had 2737 wildlife animals. Nine leopards, 11 toddy cats, 83 blue bulls, 185 sambhar, 77 barking deer, 476 spotted deer and 78 sloth bear.

M S Reddy, project director, Melghat Tiger Project, said, “Wildlife census conducted on Buddha Purnima is not taken that seriously nowadays. But still increase in number of tigers and leopards is good sign.

Twenty tigers were sighted alone in Melghat is definitely a good sign that the number of tigers will go up.