Three-day Count of Endangered Nilgiri Tahr Begins on April 29
Published on: April 30, 2024.
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Chennai: The first synchronized census of the endangered Nilgiri tahr is set to begin on April 29. Over the course of three days, around 700 personnel, including volunteers and officials, will be participating in this important exercise.
The survey will cover the Nilgiri tahr habitat, which is spread across 13 forest divisions, 100 beats, and 140 blocks. The challenging terrain in some areas adds to the difficulty of the task at hand.
Volunteers for the census are carefully chosen based on physical fitness, past trekking experience, and a background in wildlife conservation. The Kerala Forest Department will also be involved in the survey.
Several organizations will be collaborating on the synchronized survey, including the World Wide Fund for Nature – India (WWF-India), the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), and the Advanced Institute of Wildlife Sciences (AIWC). These organizations have been studying the Nilgiri tahr for years and bring valuable expertise to the census.
WWF-India, in collaboration with the Tamil Nadu Forest Department, conducted a study that revealed the local extinction of the Nilgiri tahr from approximately 14% of its shola-grassland habitat in recent decades.
While the Eravikulam National Park in Kerala is confirmed to be part of the census, the Tamil Nadu forest department is awaiting confirmation from the Silent Valley National Park in Kerala.
The personnel from the Coimbatore, Pollachi, Gudalur, Udumalpet, and Kanniyakumari forest ranges have received necessary training for the synchronized census. Training for personnel in the Mudumalai and Sriviliputhur forest ranges will be completed on Monday.
Project Nilgiri tahr, launched nine months ago by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, aims to conserve this endangered species. The project team has identified and cataloged nine major plant species and three grass varieties that the Nilgiri tahr predominantly feeds on. This information is crucial for assessing the habitat and reintroducing the species to its original environment.
Unfortunately, the Nilgiris Thar has become locally extinct in certain areas, notably the Glenmorgan mountains in the Nilgiris.
In a significant development, the Tamil Nadu forest department successfully radio-collared a Nilgiri tahr in Mukurthi National Park a month ago. The radio collaring has already provided valuable insights about the animal.
(Source: The Hans India)
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