Nilgiri Tahr

• Tamil Nadu government recently launched the ‘Project Nilgiri Tahr’ in Chennai.
• The project with an outlay of ₹25 crore, aims to develop a better understanding of Nilgiri Tahr population, distribution and ecology, re-introduction of Nilgiri Tahr to their historic habitats, addressing proximate threat to Nilgiri Tahr, increasing awareness among the public about the Nilgiri Tahr species, developing eco-tourism activities at selected sites, among others.

ABOUT NILGIRI TAHR

• Known as Varai Aadu locally, Nilgiri Tahr is an endangered species endemic to the Western Ghats known for their gravity-defying skills in climbing steep cliffs, getting them the nickname Mountain Monarch.
• It is classified as a critically endangered species in the IUCN red list of threatened species and is protected under schedule-I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act of India, 1972.
• It is Tamil Nadu’s State Animal.
• It is the only mountain ungulate (animal with hooves) in southern India amongst the 12 species present in India.
• Population- According to the World Wide Fund for Nature Report 2015, it is estimated that there are 3,122 Nilgiri Tahr in the wild and the population is divided into five metapopulation blocks based on habitat connectivity.
• There are multiple references to Nilgiri Tahr in the Sangam Tamil literature.
  • Two epics — Silappathikaram and Sivakasindamani — mention descriptions of the Nilgiri Tahr and its habitat.