Nat Geo documentary on 2018 tiger census to premiere on Aug 7

A documentary capturing the efforts of officers and forest guards involved in the process of tracking and counting of tigers under the 2018 census of the big cat will be showcased on National Geographic on August 7, officials said on Monday.

The announcement by the network comes on a day Prime Minister Narendra Modi released the All India Tiger Estimation Report 2018 and said the country has emerged as of one of the biggest and safest habitats for tigers in the world.

"The documentary -- 'Counting Tigers' showcases the efforts of officers and forest guards involved in the process of tracking and counting tigers in the last census, including the never before in-depth tiger profiling," National Geographic said in a statement.

The documentary closely follows India's tiger census 2018 and gives viewers "rare access" to the operations behind this momentous exercise, it said.

"It also encapsulates the use of advanced technology and efficacious methods deployed in order to up the ante on accuracy of this tiger census. Interesting to know that nearly 15,000 camera traps were used for capturing tiger images and recording their unique stripe pattern with the help of a dedicated software," the network said.

The documentary, elaborates on the current habitat and situation of tigers in India. It celebrates those officials and biologists who have taken the responsibility to conserve the tiger population and work round the clock for it.

According to the All India Tiger Estimation Report 2018, the tiger population in the country has grown from 1,411 in 2006 to 2,967 in 2019.

"With around 3,000 tigers, India has emerged as of one of the biggest and safest habitats for them in world," Modi said, as he lauded all the stakeholders involved in the country's tiger conservation exercise.

On the documentary, a National Geographic spokesperson said, "As the world battles to save its most charismatic animal, 'Counting Tigers' showcases the intricacies of monitoring and tracking tigers, and dives deep into the existing challenges that are a threat to the tiger population".

The documentary will premiere on August 7 at 8 pm on National Geographic and Hotstar.