There is a rise in the Nilgiri tahr numbers at the Eravikulam National Park (ENP), the natural habitat of the endangered species in Munnar. The annual census held in April sighted 803 tahrs inside the park compared with 785 last year.
Officials say 128 calves were sighted inside the park this year; last year it was 125. No calves were spotted at the proposed Neelakurinji sanctuary, near Vattavada, in Munnar.
“The present population of Nilgiri tahr in the Munnar wildlife division is in the range of 857-1,013. Perumalmala, Vembanthanni, Naukolli ‘A’, and Anamudi ‘A’ blocks in the park reported the highest numbers. Of the total tahr population in the park, more than 15% are young ones,” says Eravikulam National Park assistant wildlife warden Job J. Neriamparampil.
“The increasing number of Nilgiri tahrs and calves indicates that the park is providing a healthy habitat to the animal. The undisturbed habitat and easy food availability have resulted in an increase in the tahr population. The protection activities too are also behind the achievement,” he says.
Nilgiri tahrs were absent in the proposed Neelakurinji sanctuary and the Forest department has decided not to conduct survey there in the coming years. “Studies were conducted from 2019 to 2023 in the Kadavari block of the Kurinjimala sanctuary. It is suspected that the population in the area may be locally extinct,” says a department report.
For the first time, a thar birth was reported at the Eravikulam park as early as the second week of December 2022. Normally, the park closes for the breeding season from January 31 to March 31.
According to officials, the estimated number of the thar in the park in 1968 was 500. In 2015, the tally increased to 900. The carrying capacity of the park is estimated between 600 and 800 thars.
