Tamil Nadu and Kerala may join hands to count endangered Nilgiri tahr

Subject :Environment

Species in news

Source: TH

Context:

Tamil Nadu is in consultation with Kerala to conduct the census of its state animal and southern India’s only mountain ungulate, Nilgiri Tahr.

Details:

For the first time drones may be used as the Nilgiri tahr prefers montane grasslands at an altitude between 300 and 2,600 meters above sea level.
The nilgiri tahr’s habitat ranges between the Nilgiris in the north and the Kanniyakumari hills in the south.
- Their habitat include: The Nilgiris hills; Siruvani hills; Anamalais, high ranges and Palani hills; Srivillipudur, Theni and Tirunelveli hills; and the Kalakad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve and Ashambu hills. Among these, the Anamalai hills and the Nilgiris, mainly the Mukurthi National Park, are home to the highest number of the animals.
This would be the first comprehensive, exclusive census for the State animal. It will be conducted with the help of Wildlife Institute of India (WII).

Counting technique:

For counting techniques it will take help from WWF-India, the Nature Conservation Foundation, and the WII.
Counting methods could be: Bounded count, double-observer survey methods or/and Camera traps.

Threats:

Nilgiri tahr habitats face threats in the form of the spread of invasive plants such as wattles, pines, and eucalyptus in the grasslands.

About Nilgiri Tahr:

The Nilgiri tahr (Nilgiritragus hylocrius) is an ungulate that is endemic to the Nilgiri Hills and the southern portion of the Western and Eastern Ghats in the states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala in southern India.
It is the state animal of Tamil Nadu.
Despite its local name, it is more closely related to the sheep of the genus Ovis than the ibex and wild goats of the genus Capra. It is the only species in the genus Nilgiritragus.
Its population has been estimated at 3,122 in the wild, as per the WWF-India census of 2015.
Eravikulam National Park is home to the largest population.

India’s first Nilgiri Tahr project to conserve the State animal of Tamil Nadu will be taken up at a cost of ₹25.14 crores.

About the project:

Announced during the Tamilnadu state budget 2022-23.
The project will be implemented over the span of five years- 2022-27.
The project will have nine components, including bi-annual synchronised surveys across the division, diagnosis and treatment for affected individuals and the Shola grassland restoration pilot in Upper Bhavan.
Project Nilgiri Tahr of Tamil Nadu Forest aims to restore the fragmented habitat, especially Shola grasslands where it thrives, reintroduce the Tahr population in its historic habitat and ensure proper rehabilitation facilities are provided.

Eravikulam National Park is a protected area located in the Idukki district of Kerala, India. It was established in 1978 to protect the endangered Nilgiritahr, which is endemic to the Western Ghats.
Eravikulam National Park is located in the Western Ghats, in the Idukki district of Kerala. It covers an area of 97 square kilometers.
Eravikulam National Park is known for its unique montane grassland ecosystem, which is found in the higher altitudes of the Western Ghats.
Highest peak south of the Himalayas – the Anamudi is located here.
Park receives heavy showers during the southwest (June/July) and retreating (October/November) Monsoons and is one of the wettest area of the World.
The park is home to a number of endemic plant species, including the Neelakurinji, which blooms once every 12 years.
The park is home to a number of species of mammals, birds, and reptiles. The most famous resident of the park is the Nilgiritahr, a species of mountain goat that is endemic to the Western Ghats.
Other mammal species found in the park include the Indian muntjac, Indian porcupine, and stripe-necked mongoose. The park is also home to a variety of bird species, including the Nilgiri pipit, Nilgiri wood pigeon, and Nilgiri flycatcher.
The Nilgiritahr population in the park has been threatened by habitat loss and poaching. The park also faces threats from invasive plant species and tourism-related activities.