Chennai: Tamil Nadu government on Wednesday issued orders for setting up India’s first Project “The Nilgiri Tahr”, a conservation initiative to protect and conserve Nilgiri Tahr, the state animal of Tamil Nadu. According to the order, the project shall be setup at a cost of Rs.25.14 Crore to be implemented during a 5 year period from 2022-2027.
"Extremely happy and proud to inform that the State animal of Tamil Nadu “Nilgiri Tahr” gets an exclusive project dedicated for its conservation. Government has issued orders today to set up India’s first “The Nilgiri Tahr” project. We will ensure that the state animal of Tamil Nadu is well protected and all efforts are taken for its conservation," Chief Minister MK Stalin said in a tweet.
The project “The Nilgiri Tahr” will follow a multipronged strategy including synchronized surveys to estimate numbers of “Nilgiri Tahr” individuals through the use of Radio Telemetry including Radio collaring etc. The project will also have a major component to restore the fragmented habitats of the Tahr.
Restoration of shola grasslands which is the major habitat for the animal will be taken up as a priority activity, the statement from the Environment, Climate Change and Forest Department said adding that "October 7 will be celebrated as 'the Nilgiri Tahr day' to enhance awareness about the need for its conservation."
Mentions in classic literature
There are several references to the Nilgiri Tahr in 2,000-year-old Tamil Sangam literature. Two of the five great epics of the Sangam period, Cilappatikāram (சிலப்பதிகாரம்) and Cīvaka Cintāmaṇi, include descriptions of the Nilgiri Tahr and its habitat, the statement said.
In post Sangam period, the animal finds a mention in literature like Patiṉeṇkīḻkaṇakku. The play, Thirukutrala kuravanji, written by Thirigudarasapa Kavirayaralso describes “Nilgiri Tahr in a song “Kurathi malaivalam kooral” as one of animal that indicates the biodiversity richness of a region, the communication delved further into the literary references made on the animal.
The animal
Nilgiri Tahr locally known as “Varaiaadu” has been classified as a critically endangered species in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) red list of threatened species and is protected under schedule-I of the Wildlife (protection) Act of India, 1972.It is estimated that there are 3,122 Nilgiri Tahr as per an World Wide Fund for Nature Report 2015.
Nilgiri Tahr is endemic to Western Ghats which are internationally recognized as a region of immense global importance due to its incredible Bio-diversity. Nilgiri Tahr used to inhabit a large portion of Western Ghats, but it is now restricted to a few fragmented pockets.
Their presence shrunk because of severe habitat loss, biotic pressure, invasive and exotic species and adverse impact of climate change. The project Nilgiri Tahr aims to restore the original habitat of Nilgiri Tahr and also attempt to re-introduce the species in some of those areas where Nilgiri Tahr originally lived.
