Second synchronised survey of Nilgiri Tahr concludes; sightings in former habitats indicate population recovery, says forest department
The second synchronised survey of the Nilgiri Tahr, Tamil Nadu's State animal, has concluded successfully, according to a press release issued by the Environment, Climate Change & Forests Department.
Conducted under the ongoing Project Nilgiri Tahr, the large-scale survey was completed on April 27 across 176 survey blocks in 14 forest divisions.
Nearly 800 field staff were deployed, collectively covering around 2,000 kilometres of challenging terrain. According to the release, Nilgiri Tahr were sighted in most survey blocks, with encouraging signs of breeding, as many herds included kids and young individuals.
A particularly notable observation came from the Periyattumalai area in the Coimbatore division, where Nilgiri Tahr were once again spotted after being rediscovered there last year following a decade-long absence, the release said. Similarly, sightings in the newly colonised Pasumalai block in the Chinnamanur range of the Megamalai division indicated healthy habitat recovery.
Notably, seven of the ungulates were sighted at even the lowest elevation, just 240 metres above sea level, in the Peyanar Varaiyattu Mottai block — a dry, thorny escarpment terrain. The survey also recorded pellets in the Mangaladevi block of Megamalai division, where the species was previously thought to have moved out.
As part of the survey, field teams collected Nilgiri Tahr pellet samples and carnivore scat for parasitic analysis. These samples are being prepared for detailed laboratory study at the Wildlife Division of Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (TANUVAS). The goal, the department said, is to understand parasitic species and their life cycles in association with the Tahr.
Populations were reported to be especially healthy in the Grass Hills and Mukurthi National Parks — two critical habitats considered key for the survival of the species. Photo documentation from these areas supports the continued importance of these ecosystems.
The survey was led by M. G. Ganesan, Project Director; Ganeshram, Assistant Director; Chendura Sundaresan, Forest Range Officer, along with research personnel and experts from TANUVAS and WWF India.
Top officials including IUCN country representative Yash Veer Bhatnagar, Additional Chief Secretary Supriya Sahu and Chief Wildlife Warden Rakesh Kumar Dogra monitored the survey.
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