Tiger census is done to quantified and identify the population of Tigers in India. It is an important component of tiger conservation programme. It is published by the wildlife institute of India. Method of TC are as follows:
Pugmark technique: 
It has been one of the most popular ways of counting tigers. Each tiger is known to leave a distinct pugmark on the ground and these are different from the others in the big cat family. Photographs or plaster casts of these pugmarks are then analysed to assess the tiger numbers.
Each tiger is known to have a very unique stripe pattern. This is used to differentiate one tiger from the other.
Need for Tiger Conservation
- Tigers are at the top of the food chain and are sometimes referred to as “umbrella species” that is their conservation also conserve many other species in the same area.
- The Tiger estimation exercise that includes habitat assessment and prey estimation reflects the success or failure of Tiger conservation efforts.
- More than 80% of the world’s wild tigers are in India, and it’s crucial to keep track of their numbers.
