This Tuesday, the Nilgiris Forest Division kicked off its World Nilgiri Tahr Day celebrations at the scenic Government Botanical Garden in Udhagamandalam.
Divisional Forest Officer S. Gowtham informed reporters that this annual event commemorates the birth anniversary of the esteemed conservationist E.R.C. Davidar, who conducted the first comprehensive survey of the Nilgiri tahr back in 1975.
Mr. Gowtham highlighted the success of various conservation initiatives over recent years, noting a significant increase in the tahr population. This positive trend is attributed to enhanced protection measures, ongoing research, and dedicated studies focused on the species.
He further revealed that Mukurthi National Park harbors the second-largest tahr population. The implementation of radio-collaring for individual animals has provided invaluable insights into their seasonal movements, habitat preferences, and overall distribution across the landscape.
Additionally, the Forest Department recently observed World Wildlife Week, starting October 5, within the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve. During this week, they actively educated tourists and motorists on responsible travel practices within the reserve, promoted the use of reusable cloth bags, and launched awareness drives discouraging visitors from feeding or photographing wild animals.