CHENNAI: The state forest department is gearing up for the second annual synchronised survey of the Nilgiri Tahr, Tamil Nadu’s endangered state animal, from April 24 to 27.
The survey will cover 176 blocks across 14 Tahr-holding forest divisions, an increase from last year’s 140 blocks, with the historic Kodaikanal division – home to the iconic Ibex hills – among the 36 newly added areas. Timed to coincide with the post-birthing season, the survey will enable researchers to observe mothers and their December-January newborns, offering vital insights into population trends and reproductive health.
The survey will deploy advanced methodologies like the Bounded Count and Double Observer techniques, tailored for fragmented and contiguous habitats, especially near the Tamil Nadu-Kerala border. Beyond population counts, it will include threat assessments, carnivore faecal sampling for parasitic studies, and extensive field observations. S
pecially designed datasheets will ensure accurate data collection, while field staff will undergo rigorous training from April 15 to 20, 2025.
“Experts from IUCN-India, the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), and Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (TANUVAS) will support this effort, which spans 2,000 km and 233 sqkm, from Ashambu Mottai in Kanniyakumari to Thavalamalai in Gudalur,” Supriya Sahu, Additional Chief Secretary, Environment, Forests and Climate Change Department, told TNIE.
Last year’s inaugural survey established a baseline, estimating Tamil Nadu’s Nilgiri Tahr population at 1,031. Combined with Kerala’s Eravikulam National Park (827 Tahrs), the total reached 1,858. The survey revealed a healthy male-to-female ratio of 1:2 and a female-to-young ratio of 2:1, signalling strong reproductive potential. However, local extinctions in eight historic habitats, such as Budha Gundu and Glenmorgan, indicate ongoing challenges.
Project Nilgiri Tahr, launched by Chief Minister M K Stalin in October 2023, aims to reverse these losses through synchronised surveys, grassland restoration, and invasive species control. A new habitat discovered in Pasumalai, Megamalai Forest Division, in November 2024, where five Tahrs were spotted, highlight the species’ adaptability. Conservationists urge action to protect this corridor.
Official sources told TNIE that Kerala forest department has also expressed willingness to join the survey and is likely to increase the number of blocks from previous three to 9-10. “We had asked them to conduct the survey in 30 blocks, which are contiguous to Tamil Nadu border areas, but they feel the chances of Tahr inhabiting these blocks are slim. So, Kerala might do the survey in 9-10 blocks,” a forest official said.