Nilgiri Tahr’s Population Up 27%

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IN NEWS

There has been almost 27% increase in the population of the tahr in the Mukurthi National Park over the last 3 years.
Nilgiri tahr’s sightings in the Park have risen from 568 in 2018 to 612 this year.
This was the 2nd consecutive year that an increase in the population of the animal had been recorded in the park.
Officials said the upward trend was good news, as the new data reinforced last year’s findings.
There was a decrease in tahr numbers in 2017, when a population of only 438 was recorded, down from 480 in 2016.
The findings also pointed to a healthy sex ratio, slightly skewed in favour of female goats.

It is 78.46 km2 protected area located in the northwest corner of Tamil Nadu in the Western Ghats.
The park was created to protect its keystone species, the Nilgiri Tahr.
The park is characterised by montane grasslands and shrublands interspersed with sholas in a high altitude area of high rainfall.

It is also home to an array of endangered wildlife, including royal Bengal tiger and Asian elephant, but its main mammal attraction is the Nilgiri tahr.
It was previously known as Nilgiri Tahr National Park.
It is part of Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve
Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary (TN), Bandipur National Park (Ktk), Nagarhole National Park (Ktk), Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary and Silent Valley(KL).

It is also known as Nilgiri Ibex.
It has been listed as “Endangered” by IUCN & Schedule 1 of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
It is the state animal of Tamil Nadu and found in open montane grassland habitat of rain forests ecoregion.
It is endemic to the Nilgiri Hills and the southern portion of the Western Ghats in Tamil Nadu, Kerala.