Traditional Nilgiri tahr habitats in Coimbatore Forest Division show signs of population revival
Five Nilgiri tahrs were sighted by enumerators at Periyattumalai in Madukkarai forest range limits during the estimation, after a gap of over a decade.
Pellets of Nilgiri tahr were found in other traditional habitats, namely Kunjiramudi in Boluvampatti forest range and Kurudi Malai that is spread across Boluvampatti and Coimbatore ranges.
For the study 'Status and Distribution of the Nilgiri Tahr in the Western Ghats' published in 2015, the WWF-India surveyed Chinnattumalai, Kunjiramudi, Vellingiri hills and Kurudi Malai in Coimbatore division. Tahr presence was observed in Chinnattumalai (two animals sighted) and Kunjra Mudi (pellets).
'The survey was conducted in 2010 and two individuals were sighted at Chinnattumalai. Though we went to the location a few more times, no direct sighting could be made as they moved to the Kerala side,' said Paul Peter Predit from WWF-India, who was part of the study.
Chinnattumalai and Periyattumalai are contiguous forests and tahrs are believed to be moving between the two habitats, besides foraging in the Kerala side.
'The recent sighting at Periyattumalai is promising as tahr presence has been reconfirmed after the gap of over a decade. Frequent monitoring and use of technologies like drones will help in generating more details of their habitat and population trend,' added Mr. Predit.
The tahr population in Coimbatore division is largely regarded as Siruvani hills population, which have more genetic similarities with the population that is found in the north of the Palakkad gap of the Western Ghats.
M.G. Ganesan, Project Director of the government's Project Nilgiri Tahr, said that this year's survey was expected to generate more insights about the State animal as 'threats assessment' had been added as a new section. 'It will give us more inputs to understand the habitat landscapes of tahrs,' he said.
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