Tamil Nadu launches special project to conserve Nilgiri Tahr

Nilgiri Tahr, Tamil Nadu’s state animal which once inhabited a large portion of the biodiversity-rich Western Ghats, on Wednesday got an exclusive project aimed at its protection and conservation, including estimating the animal’s current numbers and restoring its fragmented habitats.

The scheme to be implemented at a cost of Rs 25.14 crore will be India’s first project to conserve Nilgiri Tahr, which has been described as rich in Tamil Sangam literature like Chilapathikaram and Civaka Chintamani and depicted in the Late Mesolithic (10,000-4,000 BC) paintings.

‘The Nilgiri Tahr’ project will have nine components including bi-annual synchronised surveys across the divisions, tranquilisation, collaring and monitoring of Tahr individuals, re-introduction and monitoring of Nilgiri Tahr, Shola Grassland restoration pilot in Upper Bhavani, and eco-tourism programmes.

Nilgiri Tahr, known as Varaiaadu in Tamil, the animal is classified as a critically endangered species in the IUCN red list of threatened species and is protected under schedule-I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act of India, 1972.

In the past few decades, Nilgiri Tahr has become locally extinct in around 14 per cent of its traditional shola-grassland habitat, officials said, adding that the synchronized surveys to estimate the numbers of Nilgiri Tahr will be done through radio collaring.

“We will ensure that the state animal of Tamil Nadu is well protected and all efforts are taken for its conservation,” Chief Minister M K Stalin said.

Supriya Sahu, Additional Chief Secretary, Environment and Forests, said Nilgiri Tahr is the sole Caprinae species found in the tropical mountains of southern India, and historically, it was known to inhabit a large portion of the Western Ghats.

“But today it remains restricted to a few scattered habitat patches in Tamil Nadu and Kerala. Presently, it is continued to a small percentage of the Western Ghats, between the Nilgiri hills in the north and the Asambu highlands in the south,” Sahu said.

The project also aims to restore the original habitat of Nilgiri Tahr and will attempt to re-introduce the species in some of those areas where Nilgiri Tahr originally lived.

Though Nilgiri Tahr can live in the wild for about nine years, the life span of the animal is approximately three years because of the high infant mortality rate. “In captivity, however, its lifespan is estimated to be approximately 20 years. Leopards, wild dogs, and tigers are the primary predators of the Nilgiri Tahr,” Sahu added.

According to the World Wide Fund for Nature Report 2015, it is estimated that there are 3,122 Nilgiri Tahr in the wild and the population is divided into five metapopulation blocks based on habitat connectivity.

The GO signed by Sahu said there are currently a total of 123 habitat fragments ranging in area from 0.04 square km to 161.69 square km totalling an area of 798.60 square km with the confirmed occurrence of Nilgiri Tahr.

“This also facilitates a scope of extent of occurrence to be around 20,000 square km of area with about 1,850 square km area available in the North of the Palghat gap and around 18,150 square km area available in the South of the Palghat gap,” the GO said.

Officials also said that since over-exploitation of forest resources can pose a threat to Nilgiri Tahr, stress will be laid on securing the support of local communities and stakeholders for conversation of the Nilgiri Tahr. The project will be headed by a Project Director who will be assisted by an Assistant Director and the team will include senior scientists, research fellows and field staff.