Gariyaband, June 24 -- A tigress has been spotted in the Udanti-Sitanadi Tiger Reserve in Chhattisgarh after a gap of eight years, adding yet another tally to the ongoing All India Tiger Census 2026, officials said.

The tigress was captured on trap cameras installed as part of the national census exercise. Following preliminary verification, the images were shared with the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), which reportedly found no previous record of the animal, indicating that she is being added as a new entry in the country's tiger population records.

Speaking to ANI on Tuesday, Udanti-Sitanadi Tiger Reserve Deputy Director Varun Jain said the development reflects positive progress in the reserve's conservation efforts.

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