A small herd of Nilgiri Tahr grazing on the grasslands of the Nilgiris beneath a fading morning moon
| Photo Credit: M. Sathyamoorthy
The third synchronized survey of Tamil Nadu’s State animal Nilgiri tahr will be held from April 24 to 27, according to the Project Nilgiri Tahr division of the Forest Department.
According to the department, a mobile app has been developed for the population assessment this year. The app has been named “Varudai” – a word used to describe the animal in Sangam era literary works. This is the first mobile application Developed by the Department for the survey of any mammalian species in Tamil Nadu. It has also developed a detailed directory of trained staff for the exercise, which will be conducted in collaboration with the Kerala Forest Department.
After the launch of the Project Nilgiri Tahr in 2023, the department carried out two synchronised population surveys of the endangered mountain ungulate along with Kerala Forest Department.
The second synchronised population survey conducted in April 2025 recorded an estimated population of 1,303 Nilgiri tahrs in Tamil Nadu, registering an increase from 1,031 recorded in 2024. The second synchronized survey was conducted in 177 blocks in 14 Nilgiri tahr-holding forest divisions in Tamil Nadu.
According to the Department, the Advanced Institute for Wildlife Conservation, Vandalur has conducted a habitat suitability assessment for Nilgiri tahr as part of the reintroduction component of the project. A scientific committee will evaluate the sites for re-introduction based on the findings of this study.
Published – March 05, 2026 06:44 pm IST
