Second synchronised estimation of Nilgiri tahr to cover 36 new blocks
The second annual synchronised estimation of Nilgiri tahr in Tamil Nadu and Kerala that begins on Thursday, April 24, will cover 36 new blocks in addition to the 140 blocks surveyed last year.
The Tamil Nadu Forest Department is considering the second consecutive survey a significant exercise as it will generate vital data on the population trend of the State animal.
The annual survey, which is one of the key components of the Project Nilgiri Tahr launched by Tamil Nadu in October 2023, will cover a total of 176 blocks in 14 forest divisions that are home to the mountain ungulate, in four days.
According to Supriya Sahu, Secretary of Environment, Climate Change and Forests Department, this year's survey has expanded coverage, and the 36 new blocks include Kodaikanal division. The survey spans 2,000 km of terrain, covering an estimated 233 sq. km reaching Ashambu Mottai in Kanniyakumari and Thavalamalai in the northernmost area in the Nilgiris.
'This massive effort not only strengthens the conservation blueprint for the Nilgiri Tahr but also sets a national benchmark for wildlife conservation with modern science,' she posted on 'X' on Wednesday, after taking part in an orientation session held for Department staff in Coimbatore.
The first survey held last year generated the baseline data on the endangered species, with an estimated population of 1,031 individuals in Tamil Nadu and 827 in Eravikulam National Park in Kerala.
As the census is being done in the post-calving season, enumerators will be able to spot adult Nilgiri tahrs with the young ones. The enumerators will follow the bounded count method in fragmented areas and the double observer method in large continuous landscapes. They will also collect faecal samples of carnivores to assess parasitic loads in tahrs.
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