• UGI USER
  • Apr 27, 2024
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IUCN OBSERVER JOINS NILGIRI TAHR SURVEY TO ASSESS ENDANGERED STATUS.

Why in the news?

Survey aims to estimate the Nilgiri Tahr population, with IUCN involvement, to remove the species from endangered status.

source:worldmap

About the Nilgiri Tahr Survey in Tamil Nadu:

  • Objective: The Tamil Nadu government aims to conduct a synchronised survey from April 29 to estimate the population of the endangered Nilgiri Tahr.
  • Partnerships: Collaborating with organisations like WWF India and the Wildlife Institute of India for population estimation, the government also includes IUCN as an observer in the survey.
  • Survey Details: Divided into 13 forest divisions, 100 forest beats, and 140 feasible blocks, the survey focuses on areas along the Kerala border. The Anamalai Tiger Reserve (ATR) hosts a significant population, with around 510 individuals recorded in 2020.
About Nilgiri Tahr :

  • Name and Status: Nilgiri Tahr, also known as Nilgiri Ibex, listed as “Endangered” by IUCN.
  • Legal Protection: Listed under Schedule 1 of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, providing absolute protection.
  • Physical Characteristics: Adult males develop a light grey area on their backs, known as “Saddlebacks”.
  • State Animal: Designated as the state animal of Tamil Nadu.
  • Habitat: Found in open montane grassland habitats of the Nilgiri Hills and the southern Western Ghats in Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
  • Threats: Face habitat loss mainly from domestic livestock and invasive plants, poaching, and vulnerability to local extinction due to small and isolated populations.