NILGIRI TAHR - ENVIRONMENT
News: T.N.
government sets up Nilgiri Tahr conservation project
What's in the news?
● The
Tamil Nadu Government on December 28 launched an initiative for the
conservation of the Nilgiri Tahr, the State animal, at a cost of ₹25.14 crore.
Nilgiri Tahr Project:
Project plan:
● The
project is to be implemented from 2022 to 2027. Under The Nilgiri Tahr project,
the government plans to do following developments.
○ To
develop a better understanding of the Nilgiri Tahr population through surveys
and radio telemetry studies.
○ Reintroduce
the Tahrs to their historical habitat.
○ Address
the proximate threats and
○ Increase
public awareness of the species.
Nilgiri Tahr day:
● October 7
will be celebrated as ‘Niligiri Tahr Day’ in honour of E.R.C. Davidar, who was
responsible for pioneering one of the first studies of the species in 1975.
Funding:
● The
funds for the project are to be provided by the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board.
Team:
● The
project will be headed by a Project Director, who will be assisted by an
Assistant Director.
● The
team will include senior scientists, research fellows and field staff,
according to the order.
Challenges in Conservation of Nilgiri Tahr:
Some
of the challenges in the conservation of the Nilgiri Tahrs are as follows.
● Potential
local extinction due to highly
fragmented populations.
● Invasion of exotic
species into the habitat.
● Forest
fires.
● Over-exploitation
of forest resources and
● Lack
of ecological data and understanding.
Significance of Nilgiri Tahr in Tamil Nadu:
● There
are multiple references to the Nilgiri Tahr in Tamil Sangam literature dating
back to 2,000 years.
● The
late Mesolithic (10,000-4,000 BC) paintings highlight the significance of the
Tahr in folklore, culture and life.
● It
was designated as the State animal
in recognition of its ecological and cultural significance.
Go back to basics:
Nilgiri Tahr:
● They
are stocky goats endemic to Nilgiri
Hills and southern portion of Western Ghats in Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
● It
is the sole Caprinae species found
in the tropical mountains of southern India.
● It
is the state animal of Tamil Nadu.
Habitat:
● The
animal inhabits meadows with steep cliffs at elevations between 300 meters and
2,600 meters above sea level.
● They
are found in the open montane grassland
habitat of the South Western Ghats montane rain forests ecoregion.
● Eravikulam National Park
is home to its largest population.
Issues:
● Historically,
the Nilgiri Tahr was known to inhabit a large portion of the Western Ghats. But
today, it remains restricted to a few scattered patches in Tamil Nadu and
Kerala.
● It
has become locally extinct in around 14% of its traditional shola
forest-grassland habitat.
IUCN status: Endangered.