Nilgiri tahr tracked one month after being fitted with radio-collar in Mukurthi National Park

Radio-collared Nilgiri tahr in Mukurthi National Park tracked by Forest Department officials for conservation research.

A Nilgiri tahr, that was radio-collared around a month ago by the T.N. Forest Department in Mukurthi National Park in the Nilgiris, was once again tracked and monitored by senior Forest Department officials on Wednesday, April 17, 2024.

The saddle-back or adult male tahr, was fitted with a radio-collar on March 21 by the Forest Department to better understand the animal’s movement as well as its behavioural patterns, under Project Nilgiri tahr.

Speaking to The Hindu, Supriya Sahu, Additional Chief Secretary, Environment, Climate Change and Forests, said that important data about the Tahr’s range has been gathered through this monitoring.

“The radio-collar is only 750 grams, or less than one percent of its total body weight. So it has had no discernible negative impact on the animal,” added Ms. Sahu. She said that the data gathered from radio-collaring the animal would be important in studying the species in the Mukurthi National Park, which is one of the most undisturbed, pristine habitats for the species.

Officials said a dedicated team of researchers is constantly working to better understand the species and identify locations in the Nilgiris which had previously formed parts of its habitat from where the species has become locally extinct.

“For instance, researchers now know what kinds of flora, especially particular species of grasses need to be in abundance for a viable population to exist in a particular area,” said Ms. Sahu. Such information will prove crucial in working on habitat restoration as well as dialogues with local communities if the species was to be reintroduced in other parts of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve (NBR).

Also present on Wednesday at Mukurthi National Park to check on the herds of Tahr was Chief Wildlife Warden, Srinivas Reddy, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Sudhanshu Gupta, among other senior Forest Department officials.