Call for Volunteers: Sahyadri Tiger Reserve (STR), All India Tiger Estimation (AITE) 2026

Register here to volunteer for AITE 2026 at STR: https://forms.gle/wGmrDxdVRCygaWyT7

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The AITE 2026 for STR will be conducted in phases from December 2025 to May 2026. Selected volunteers will be trained and get real field experience working directly with expert field biologists under supervision of the Sahyadri Tiger Reserve staff. Work includes wildlife tracking doing line transects, sign surveys, and trail-camera deployment. Some volunteers may also assist with data management, where data from field visits is processed, organised with guidance from STR staff. Volunteering requires physical fitness, discipline, punctuality, and strict adherence to forest safety protocols. Stay and food expenses during volunteering will be covered.

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About AITE – India’s Largest Wildlife Monitoring Programme

The All India Tiger Estimation (AITE) is the world’s largest wildlife population assessment conducted every four years by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) and the Wildlife Institute of India (WII).

AITE goes far beyond tiger counting. It includes:

• Monitoring of co-predators such as leopards, wild dogs, hyenas

• Detailed estimation of prey species like sambar, chital, barking deer, gaur

• Habitat assessments, sign surveys, line transects, camera trapping, and genetic sampling.

The Sahyadri Tiger Reserve(STR) is an important part of this national conservation programme.

About the STR–TGT Collaboration

Through this partnership, STR and TGT will work together on coordinated wildlife population estimation. TGT will support the Forest Department through:

• Trained and vetted volunteers

• Technical and scientific assistance

• Logistical facilitation

All work will strictly follow NTCA–WII protocols. All field data will remain the confidential property of the Government; only processed summaries may be used for awareness and reporting. Sharing raw data externally is prohibited.

From the Field Director, Sahyadri Tiger Reserve

“The participation of trained citizen volunteers and technical teams from The Grasslands Trust will significantly strengthen our All India Tiger Estimation efforts. This partnership brings added capability, field precision, and community involvement to a nationally important exercise.”— Shri Tushar Chavan, IFS

From The Grasslands Trust

“It is an honour for us to partner with Sahyadri Tiger Reserve for AITE 2026. Our teams are committed to science-based conservation and will work under the guidance of the Forest Department to ensure high-quality, protocol-driven data collection.”— Shri Mihir Godbole