Status and distribution of Nilgiri Tahr Hemitragus hylocrius in Kerala part of the Western Ghats

Abstract

© Zoo Outreach Organisation; www.zoosprint.org Manuscript 1517; Received 02 February 2006; Revised received 18 July 2006; Finally accepted 01 August 2006; Date of publication 25 August 2006 2379 September 2006 | ISSN 0973-2535 (Print edition); 0973-2551 (Online edition) ABSTRACT A survey of the threatened and endemic Nilgiri Tahr was conducted in the Western Ghats in Kerala to identify locations of distribution and to assess its status in 2001. This study reveals that the population of tahr in Kerala is highly fragmented. A total of 998 animals were estimated in 11 populations. The largest population of 696 individuals was in Eravikulam National Park. The habitat in Varayattu Mala in Neyyar is extensive and rich in food species, though the number sighted was low. The Kochu Pamba area in the fringes of the Periyar Tiger Reserve is a promising location in terms of vastness and lack of disturbance. The areas in Nelliampathi Hills are rich in terms of food abundance and extent of grasslands. However, human disturbance poses a major threat to these populations.