Tamil Nadu records 1,303 Nilgiri Tahrs in second synchronised survey
The survey report was released on Tuesday by Forests Minister R.S. Rajakannappan, alongside Supriya Sahu, Additional Chief Secretary of the Departments of Environment, Climate Change, and Forests, Srinivas R. Reddy, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Head of Forest Force), and Rakesh Kumar Dogra, Chief Wildlife Warden, and Yash Veer Bhatnagar, country representative (India) of International Union for Conservation of Nature, at the Guindy National Park.
At the same event, the Kerala Forest Department also released its corresponding report on the Nilgiri Tahr population within its jurisdiction. Kerala's Minister for Forest and Wildlife Protection, A.K. Saseendran, and Pramod G. Krishnan, Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Chief Wildlife Warden of Kerala, joined the launch virtually.
This year's synchronised survey covered 177 blocks in Tamil Nadu — 36 more than in 2024. A total of 3,126 kilometres were covered on foot by 786 dedicated field staff. 'Tamil Nadu's estimated Nilgiri Tahr population has increased to 1,303, up from 1,031 recorded the previous year. This does not imply a population increase but rather a higher rate of observed encounters,' said M.G. Ganesan, Project Director of Project Nilgiri Tahr.
Out of the total, 616 individuals — which makes up almost half of the population at 47.3 percent — were found in large, contiguous habitats across 14 blocks. The Grass Hills National Park and Mukurthi National Park are the primary strongholds, with Grass Hills recording 334 Tahrs (up from 276 in 2024) and Mukurthi showing 282 individuals (up from 203 last year).
The remaining 687 Tahrs, comprising 53 percent of the population, were found in fragmented habitats spread across 163 blocks, including areas intersected by roads and tea estates.
The survey also observed an estimated 155 Nilgiri Tahrs forming a transit population moving towards Kerala's Eravikulam National Park. Notably, this year's survey included a detailed threat assessment for the first time, which is set to provide insight into the conservation challenges faced by the species.
Mr. Bhatnagar said that understanding movement ecology was extremely important. 'Ecology is not just about calculating home range sizes for males, females, or juveniles within a population. It involves understanding the actual routes animals take across a landscape — how they use different types of habitats, the seasonal patterns in their movement, and the environmental features that influence their paths.
The survey was carried out with the support of IUCN, Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (TANUVAS), Animal Welfare Board of India (AIWC), and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF).
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