Nilgiri Tahr population hits record 2,655 across TN, Kerala; fragmentation remains key threat
For a year-on-year comparison, the estimated population in 128 survey blocks (excluding the blocks added in this year's survey) increased by 19% from 1,031 in 2024 to 1,228 this year, as per the survey report released by Forest Minister RS Rajakannappan on Tuesday.
The synchronised survey was conducted jointly by the Tamil Nadu and Kerala forest departments. In Tamil Nadu, the exercise involved 786 field staff covering 3,123.6 km and 177 blocks using standardised Double Observer and Bounded Count methods.
The data show core strongholds continue to thrive. The metapopulation in Mukurthi National Park, Nilgiris, was estimated at 282 individuals with a density of 4 per sq km, while Grass Hills in Anamalai Tiger Reserve recorded 334 individuals with a high density of 10 per sq km. Kerala's Eravikulam National Park remains the single largest subpopulation site with 841 Tahrs.
Yet conservationists warn the overall increase hides a deeper crisis, which is habitat fragmentation. The survey found that many populations remain isolated and fall well below the 50-individual survival threshold. Only nine Tahrs were recorded in Coimbatore, 13 in Kodaikanal, 8-14 in Nellai wildlife sanctuary, 67 in Srivilliputhur, and 27 in Kanniyakumari. Megamalai saw a sharp drop from 118 individuals in 2024 to 87 in 2025, likely due to habitat degradation.
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New Indian Express
3 days ago
- New Indian Express
Threats galore for Nilgiri Tahr, reveals survey
COIMBATORE: The results of the second synchronised survey of Nilgiri Tahr which was out on Tuesday point to various threats faced by the state animal. These threats include wildfire, invasive plant species, disease, competition, pilgrimage, cattle grazing, collection of non-timber forest produce, dams, high-tension wires and plantations, state data from the Tamil Nadu Forest Department. Out of the 1,303 Nilgiri Tahrs identified in 177 blocks in Tamil Nadu, 334 are found in the Grass Hills National Park in the Anamalai Tiger Reserve (ATR) and 282 in the Mukurthi National Park. Invasive species such as Chromolaena odorata, Euphorbia glandulosum, Lantana camara, Pteridium aquilinum and Pinus petula are the major threats in the former park. The primary threats in the Mukurthi park are exotic plant species such as Cystis scoparis, Ulex europaeus and Acacia mearnsil that engulf the entire shola grasslands. The animal's population distribution is from Kanyakumari to the Nilgiris. The Tavalamalai block in the Gudalur forest division is its northernmost habitat, while Thachamalai, a montane shola grassland, in the Kulasekaran Range of the Kanyakumari division is its southern abode. While the contour canal in the Pollachi forest division is a threat for the ungulate. Also, Upper Bhavani Dam, Mukurthi Dam and Avalanche Dam in the Nilgiris forest division are hindrance for its movement. Likewise, tea and cardamom plantations are the major threats in Megamalai. The largest threat from invasive species that disturbs the Nilgiri Tahr's habitat is in the Megamalai division. This issue is a major concern in the Kanniyakumari, Nilgiris and Tiruppur forest divisions also, reveal the data available with the TNIE. In the Coimbatore forest division forest fires, pilgrimage sites, and invasive species are the major threats to this endangered and endemic species. A winch of a mountain trolley in the Kalakad forest division too poses trouble to the species residing in high ranges. 'These assessments help to identify and prioritise the threats such as habitat loss, invasive species etc. The data will act as a baseline for assessing and comparing threats in the future,' said a senior forest official involved in retrieving the habitat for the animal project. 'We are removing invasive species in a phased manner. Habitat restoration of native grasslands will improve the home range of the Nilgiri Tahr. Community engagement is a key to habitat restoration along with creating awareness among the public,' the official pointed out. The survey was held in April.
New Indian Express
5 days ago
- New Indian Express
Nilgiri Tahr population hits record 2,655 across TN, Kerala; fragmentation remains key threat
CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu's state animal, the Nilgiri Tahr, has recorded a population increase, with the second synchronised survey estimating 1,303 individuals across 14 forest divisions in Tamil Nadu. When combined with Kerala's estimate of 1,352, the total population across the Western Ghats now stands at 2,655 – the highest in recent decades. For a year-on-year comparison, the estimated population in 128 survey blocks (excluding the blocks added in this year's survey) increased by 19% from 1,031 in 2024 to 1,228 this year, as per the survey report released by Forest Minister RS Rajakannappan on Tuesday. The synchronised survey was conducted jointly by the Tamil Nadu and Kerala forest departments. In Tamil Nadu, the exercise involved 786 field staff covering 3,123.6 km and 177 blocks using standardised Double Observer and Bounded Count methods. The data show core strongholds continue to thrive. The metapopulation in Mukurthi National Park, Nilgiris, was estimated at 282 individuals with a density of 4 per sq km, while Grass Hills in Anamalai Tiger Reserve recorded 334 individuals with a high density of 10 per sq km. Kerala's Eravikulam National Park remains the single largest subpopulation site with 841 Tahrs. Yet conservationists warn the overall increase hides a deeper crisis, which is habitat fragmentation. The survey found that many populations remain isolated and fall well below the 50-individual survival threshold. Only nine Tahrs were recorded in Coimbatore, 13 in Kodaikanal, 8-14 in Nellai wildlife sanctuary, 67 in Srivilliputhur, and 27 in Kanniyakumari. Megamalai saw a sharp drop from 118 individuals in 2024 to 87 in 2025, likely due to habitat degradation.
New Indian Express
5 days ago
- New Indian Express
Half of total Nilgiri Tahr in Kerala, says study
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Of the 2,668 Nilgiri Tahr across the globe, 1,365 – more than half – are in Kerala, as per the 'Synchronized Population Estimation of Nilgiri Tahr 2025' report released by Forest Minister A K Saseendran on Tuesday. The census was held in Kerala and Tamil Nadu in April. The report said Eravikulam National Park, which celebrated its golden jubilee this year, remains the stronghold of the endangered species in Kerala, housing 841 of them, a slight jump from 827 in 2024. The Munnar landscape alone supports nearly 90% of Kerala's Tahr population. In Tamil Nadu, the major populations were recorded in Mukurthy and Grass Hills National Park on the border, highlighting the importance of interstate collaboration and unified protected area management. The census was conducted for four days in 89 census blocks in Kerala and 182 census blocks in TN. In Kerala, it spanned 19 forest divisions, from Thiruvananthapuram to Wayanad. The exercise also aimed to map the current distribution of Tahr, identify its ecological threats, integrate camera trap data for improved accuracy, and recommend habitat-specific management strategies. Key recommendations include interim surveys in critical habitats, boundary rationalisation, control of invasive species, protection of open grasslands and scientific reintroductions. Long-term plans call for climate-resilient conservation, institutionalised monitoring and improved community participation. Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Head of Forest Force Rajesh Ravindran, Chief Wildlife Warden Pramod G Krishnan and other senior forest officials attended the event.
