CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu forest department is considering captive breeding of the Nilgiri tahr, which is the state animal, to ensure long-term survivability. With the species now confined largely to two meta-populations in Grass Hills National Park and Mukurthi National Park, officials see scientific breeding as a critical strategy for long-term survival.
A comprehensive four-day synchronised survey of the Nilgiri tahr begins on April 24, covering Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
Chief Wildlife Warden Rakesh Kumar Dogra, speaking at the survey's launch in Coimbatore, said: "When I was DFO in Ooty, we did preliminary work and identified a site for captive breeding, but the project never materialised. Now, it's imperative we pursue scientific captive breeding," Dogra told The New Indian Express.
"This will support our relocation efforts. The Advanced Institute of Wildlife Conservation is assessing habitat suitability, and captive-bred tahrs can be integrated with wild populations to repopulate suitable habitats," he added.
The survey, flagged off by Additional Chief Secretary for Environment, Forests, and Climate Change Supriya Sahu, involves multiple teams traversing 176 blocks in Tamil Nadu -- up from 140 last year due to new tahr sightings. Kerala will simultaneously survey 89 blocks.
Sahu said, "Captive breeding, backed by scientific expertise and partnerships with Indian and international institutions, is a path we must explore to ensure the Nilgiri tahr's survival."
Yash Veer Bhatnagar, IUCN country representative, told TNIE the revival of the Przewalski's horse and Arabian oryx are examples of successful captive breeding.
"Przewalski's horses, the world's only wild horse species, went extinct in the wild. Pure breeds from Western zoos were used for captive breeding, and today, they thrive in Mongolia. The Arabian oryx followed a similar path," he said.
The survey employs advanced methods like the bounded count and double observer techniques, tailored for fragmented and contiguous habitats near the Tamil Nadu-Kerala border. It includes threat assessments, carnivore faecal sampling, and field observations, with specially designed datasheets for accuracy. Field staff underwent training from April 15 to 20. Experts from IUCN-India, the Wildlife Institute of India, and Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University support this effort, spanning 233 sq.km from Ashambu Mottai to Thavalamalai.
In January, a field team in Peyyanar Varaiyattu Mottai, Courtallam range of Nellai Wildlife Sanctuary, recorded direct tahr sightings -- the first in decades. The team also collected fresh tahr pellets, now under analysis at the Advanced Institute of Wildlife Conservation for faecal parasites and DNA to study population genetics. "The Varaiyattu Mottai habitat, with moist mixed-deciduous forests, bamboo, teak, cliffs, and rocky outcrops, is ideal for the tahr, which thrives in grassy, rugged terrains," said MG Ganesan, Director of Project Nilgiri Tahr.
"This data will help us understand the population's health and genetic diversity," he added.
Last year's survey estimated Tamil Nadu's tahr population at 1,031, with 552 in fragmented habitats and 479 in contiguous landscapes. Combined with Kerala's 827 tahrs, the total was 1,858.
Launched by Chief Minister MK Stalin in October 2023, Project Nilgiri Tahr aims to reverse these losses through surveys, grassland restoration, and invasive species control, offering hope for the species' survival.