Latest news with #NilgiriTahrs
New Indian Express
2 days ago
- General
- 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.
NDTV
4 days ago
- General
- NDTV
In Conservation Win, Tamil Nadu State Animal Nilgiri Tahr's Numbers Shoot Up
Chennai: In a major conservation success story from the Western Ghats, the endangered Nilgiri Tahr - Tamil Nadu's state animal - has shown a significant rise in numbers. The Second Synchronized Survey of Nilgiri Tahr conducted in April 2025 has estimated 2,655 individuals across Tamil Nadu and Kerala - a substantial increase from the 2024 estimate of 2,383. Led by the Tamil Nadu Forest Department under the ambitious Project Nilgiri Tahr, this year's survey recorded 1,303 Nilgiri Tahrs in Tamil Nadu and 1,352 in Kerala, marking one of the highest combined population estimates in decades. "This is not just a count. It's a confirmation that targeted conservation, rooted in science and supported by political will, works," said Supriya Sahu, Additional Chief Secretary, Environment, Climate Change and Forests. The large-scale survey spanned 14 forest divisions, 43 forest ranges and 177 survey blocks, including 36 newly-added habitats. It involved 786 trained personnel, integrating modern tools such as drone reconnaissance, GIS mapping and the Double Observer and Bounded Count methodologies to ensure accurate and repeatable results. Key Highlights Sex ratio stands at 49 males per 100 females, while the young-to-female ratio is 50 to 100 - indicating healthy reproduction. New sightings were recorded in low elevation zones like Peyanar (270m), the lowest ever recorded habitat for the species. Mukurthi and Grass Hills National Parks remain core habitats, while fragmented and recolonised landscapes in Kodaikanal, Theni, Tirunelveli and Kanyakumari offered fresh hope for species expansion. Crucially, this year's survey included a new threat assessment module, documenting the challenges Nilgiri Tahrs face - habitat fragmentation, invasive species, forest fires and human encroachment. Launched by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin in October 2023, Project Nilgiri Tahr has rapidly evolved into one of India's most ambitious single-species recovery programs. It includes shola grassland restoration, radio-collaring for tracking, disease diagnostics and plans for captive breeding and reintroduction into lost habitats. With the declaration of October 7 as Nilgiri Tahr Day to honour conservation pioneer ERC Davidar, the state continues to blend science, tradition and stewardship to protect this iconic mountain ungulate. "Protecting the Nilgiri Tahr is protecting the soul of the Western Ghats," said Project Director MG Ganesan, adding that the findings will now guide future adaptive conservation strategies.
Deccan Herald
4 days ago
- General
- Deccan Herald
Population of Tamil Nadu's state animal Nilgiri Tahr rises, thanks to efforts of Stalin govt
Akkamalai Grass Hills in the Western Ghats, which is part of the Anamalai Tiger Reserve, recorded 334 Nilgiri Tahr, while Mukurthi National Park recorded 282, accounting for about 50 percent of the total Nilgiri Tahrs found.
The Hindu
5 days ago
- General
- The Hindu
Tamil Nadu records 1,303 Nilgiri Tahrs in second synchronised survey
Tamil Nadu has recorded an estimated 1,303 Nilgiri Tahrs in the second annual synchronised population survey conducted in April 2025, done in collaboration with the Kerala Forest Department. 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).
Scroll.in
05-06-2025
- Politics
- Scroll.in
How Tamil Nadu's green energy push in the Nilgiris undermines the Dravidian development model
Green energy is threatening Tamil Nadu's greenest district – the Nilgiris. This irony brings into focus the paradoxes of Tamil Nadu's Dravidian growth model: even as it ensures that the state has enviable development indicators, the sustainable energy projects that fuel it, heighten the economic and ecological vulnerabilities of some regions. This anxiety is evident in the concerns about two hydro-electricity projects in Kundah taluka in the Nilgiris. In May, an expert appraisal committee of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change granted permission for an environmental impact assessment to be conducted for a 1,000-megawatt hydropower dam in the Upper Bhavani region of the south Nilgiris. This step means that the project is in a preconstruction and clearances stage. Though this project will use a pumped storage system that is considered environmentally friendly, experts and activists have serious reservations about the dam on the Bhavani river. The project envisages a tunnel being constructed within 2 km of the Mukurthi National Park. Mukurthi's shola-grassland ecosystem is habitat to more than 200 Nilgiri Tahrs, Tamil Nadu's state animal, and to the endemic Nilgiri Laughing Thrush. The Upper Bhavani dam is not the only contentious project in The Nilgiris. In April, the Sillahalla Pumped Storage Hydro-Electric Project in Kundah taluka was put on hold. Groups from the Badaga community that live in the area have organised protests against the project in recent months, fearing that farmland in 11 villages will be submerged. The environmental assessment report for the project states that 56.4% of the submergence area is agricultural. On March 29, the gram sabhas of two villages passed resolutions against the project. Officials said that the Sillahalla project had been suspended because the mandatory No Objection Certificates from the environment ministry and the Forest Department had not been obtained, and that the views of environmentalists and the public must be considered. But the government has not said that it is terminating the project, which is estimated to cost more than Rs 5,000 crore. The pumped storage hydropower system that these two projects will use requires a lower and upper dam reservoir, connected by a tunnel. During lean periods, operators use solar or wind energy to pump water from the lower to higher reservoir. When demand rises, water flows down through a turbine, generating electricity. This closed-loop water recycling and use of renewable solar and wind energy makes the pumped storage system a model of green technology. Experts point out that the Nilgiris already has 12 dams, and the Kundah taluka is a hydro-electric complex with 10 dams. The Nilgiris are a hyper-engineered hydro-scape. The new projects fail to consider the possible impact of climate change on the region, even though scientists predict that the frequency of extreme rainfall events will increase in the Nilgiris. Why dam an over-dammed district in the climate era? These projects are being constructed against the backdrop of a larger progressive backdrop – the political economy of the Dravidian model of development and its energy needs. This modern governance framework draws from the rationalist, reformist and justice imperatives of the Dravidian movement, which emerged around 1916 as a social reform and self respect movement against caste inequality. The Dravidian model of development draws from these rationalist, reformist and justice imperatives. Combining inclusive economic growth and human development, Tamil Nadu's development indicators are comparable to Asian economies such as Vietnam. Since 2021-'22, Tamil Nadu has grown at more than 8% every year. This equitable development model is based on investments in health and education and driven by services such as information technology and manufacturing sectors such as automobiles and textiles. But it is energy-intensive. To power its growth in a sustainable fashion, the state is counting on green energy. The creation of the Tamil Nadu Green Energy Corporation Limited in 2024 signals this purpose. But as the residents of Kundah taluka have noted, the price of sustainable development will be paid by their region. The political economy of green energy Conventional and pumped storage hydropower dams are green because they use water, a renewable source, to generate electricity and their operations do not emit carbon. Studies predict that India will generate more hydropower in the coming years even without building new capacity. This is because, with climate change, rainfall is expected to increase and dams will have greater inflows. But enhanced inflows are likely to make dams more vulnerable to overflows and bursts. Extreme rain events can cause dams to collapse from seepage and leaks or even forced dam releases. Preventing these problems will mean upgrading infrastructure – which will heighten the risk of landslides. In January 2024, the state released a document titled ' Tamil Nadu Vision $1 Trillion ', charting out its ambition to grow its economy to that value, up from $329 billion dollars now. Modern, sustainable infrastructure is a key component to achieve this goal by 2030. Tamil Nadu's energy policy, announced in 2024, says that the state aspires to be the national leader in clean energy and generate 100 billion units of renewable energy by 2030. Installed energy capacity, and an improved green energy mix of solar and wind energy, are a crucial infrastructure tenet, the policy states. It adds that the government will aggressively pursue renewable sources of energy and promote hydro and pumped storage projects. The state has maintained an 8% growth rate since 2021-2022, outpacing the national average of 7.76% for the period. A textile, automobile and software export powerhouse, Tamil Nadu's GDP is second to Maharashtra. But unlike Maharashtra, whose growth is driven largely by enterprises centred around Mumbai, Tamil Nadu's growth is more dispersed. Districts such as Madurai, Coimbatore, Tirupur and Salem contribute as well. The government's energy talk is earnest. In the Nilgiris, it proposes two more pumped storage projects – besides Sillahalla and Upper Bhavani – the Sandy Nalla and Sigur projects, both a public-private partnership like the Sillahalla project. The perils However, Tamil Nadu must be cautious in its aggressive pursuit of renewable energy. Pumped storage projects share risks with conventional dams and have unique challenges. Landslides due to slope excavation and flooding due to sudden release or dam failures must be considered. Unique risks emerge from the dual reservoir design and related infrastructure such as tunnels. Water fluctuations from frequent water cycling between reservoirs causes seepage in soil and rock. This poses risks in porous terrains like the upper Nilgiris. These filling and draining cycles could destabilise slopes. Chief Minister MK Stalin's government is thinking hard about how to make the Dravidian model sustainable. But a just transition to a low carbon economy has trade-offs: sustainable energy for mainland Tamil Nadu and environmental susceptibility for its mountains. Climate change burdens marginalised classes and castes, and benefits the privileged. The wealthiest 10% of the world are responsible for two-thirds of global warming through direct emissions from their consumption and also emissions of industries they have invested in. Poorer tropical countries, and marginalised sections within them, suffer from floods, droughts and heat waves that emissions cause. Tamil Nadu's industrialisation aspirations are legitimate and its renewable energy policies are laudable. But for a hyper-dammed region like the Nilgiris, grassroots and gram sabha consultations, and stakeholder consultations are environmentally just. The environmental and economic concerns of Nilgiris citizens are appeals to the ideas of equity that underpin the Dravidian movement. They ask the state to adopt scientific temper in assessing the geological, hydrological, ecological and economic risks of damming an over-dammed geography. They seek environmental justice from the state – participation in the policy process and a recognition that like climate change, its mitigation too produces disparate impacts. When Tamil Nadu enshrines environmental justice into its Dravidian development model, it will be worthy of emulation not just by other Indian states but even upper and middle-income nations.
