KATTAPPANA,
The Hindu,May 6, 2014
Herds of the endangered species sighted at five blocks besides Rajamala
Herds of the Nilgiri Tahrs (Hemitragus Hylocrius) have been sighted at four blocks besides Rajamala in the Eravikulam National Park (ENP), its natural habitat.
The enhanced presence of the endangered species was detected in a census held between April 24 and 28.
A senior ENP official told The Hindu that
this was for the first time that a Nilgiri Tahr census was conducted at
Meesapulimada, Kadavari, Kambakallu, Gudallarkudy, and Chokramudy in
the ENP and Mangapara in the Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary.
Except at Kadavari, the presence of the ungulate was accounted for at the other five blocks in the census.
The
official said the final evaluation of the total number of newborns had
not been done. The park, which has the largest wild tahr population, was
closed for two months from February in view of the breeding season.
As
per the 2013 census, the count of the Nilgiri Tahr in the ENP stood at
871. However, its population, after an intensive protection programme
was launched at its natural habitat at Rajamala a decade back, had
remained stagnant with minor increases in some breeding seasons.
C.P.
Soman, Rajamala range officer, said intervention in the ungulate
habitat was almost nil though predation by carnivores could be a factor
for its stagnant population.
He said the census
finding was a sign of positive growth of the tahr population at
Rajamala. The ENP consists of 97 sq km of high altitude grasslands. The
tahrs avoid ‘shola forests’ though they sometime forage along the
periphery.
Mr. Soman said whether the migration of
the Nilgir Tahrs to the five blocks was due to changes in its natural
habitat or favourable conditions outside needed a study. There would
also be natural reasons such as weather changes affecting the habitat,
leading to migration to areas outside.
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