‘Project Nilgiri Tahr’, with an initial allocation of ₹10 crore announced in the Tamil Nadu Budget for conservation and expansion of habitat for the State animal, has come at a time when its population has started declining in parts of its highly fragmented range.
It has been formulated as a comprehensive, long-term strategy to ensure the survival of the Nilgiri tahr ( Nilgiritragus hylocrius). Supriya Sahu, Additional Chief Secretary, Environment, Climate Change and Forests, said, “The time has come to protect this endangered, enigmatic animal and its habitat. Very little is known about this species, and there are not even any accurate estimates of its population.” An extensive survey of the species and its habitat in Tamil Nadu and the pressures it faces will be made in the coming months. “We are also looking at reintroducing the species from where it has disappeared in the recent past and involving local communities in their protection,” she explained.
Sanket Bhale, team leader, Western Ghats Landscape at World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF-India), says the main threat the Nilgiri tahr faces is habitat fragmentation. “We have identified five distinct blocks where populations exist, which are possibly not interconnected.”
