Nilgiri Tahr Numbers Rise as Tamil Nadu Strengthens Science-Led Wildlife Protection

Tamil Nadu is emerging as a national leader in data-driven wildlife conservation, with the state unveiling three major biodiversity reports that not only recorded encouraging wildlife numbers but also highlighted the growing importance of long-term ecological monitoring in conservation planning.

Released on World Environment Day by Forests Minister R V Ranjithkumar and Environment and Climate Change Minister V K Rajeev , the reports covered the Nilgiri Tahr population survey , the state's first-ever Comprehensive State-Wide Raptor Assessment , and the Tamil Nadu Synchronised Bird Census 2025-26 . Together, they showcase a conservation model built on scientific research, technology, and continuous monitoring rather than one-time wildlife counts.

Among the most significant findings was the rise in the population of the endangered Nilgiri Tahr , Tamil Nadu's state animal. The Third Synchronised Survey , conducted between April 24 and 27 in collaboration with the Kerala Forest Department, estimated the population at 1,364 , up from 1,303 in 2025 , reflecting a healthy 4.68 per cent annual growth .

The survey covered 177 blocks across 14 forest divisions , with the Anamalai Hills accounting for 44.87 per cent of the total population, followed by the Nilgiri landscape at 29.25 per cent . Researchers also recorded a male-to-female ratio of 55:100 and a female-to-young ratio of 100:66 , indicating stable breeding trends.

The population increase comes amid the implementation of Project Nilgiri Tahr , a flagship conservation initiative focused on habitat restoration, shola-grassland recovery, scientific monitoring, radio-collaring, and species management. Conservation experts view the programme as one of India's most comprehensive efforts to recover an endangered mountain species.

The state also released findings from its first-ever Comprehensive State-Wide Raptor Assessment , conducted by the Tamil Nadu Raptor Research Foundation at the Advanced Institute for Wildlife Conservation (AIWC) with support from WWF-India . Covering 49 forest divisions , 389 survey blocks , nearly 8,000 km of vehicular surveys , and over 2,100 km of foot surveys , the exercise documented 5,712 sightings representing 51 raptor species .

Raptors are widely regarded as indicators of ecosystem health because they sit at the top of the food chain and quickly reflect environmental changes.

Meanwhile, the Synchronised Wetland Bird Census recorded 6,01,348 birds from 393 species across 1,005 wetlands , including 35 threatened species . Of these, 1,59,557 were migratory birds , underlining Tamil Nadu's importance along the Central Asian Flyway . The subsequent Terrestrial Bird Census identified 2,24,801 birds from 391 species across 1,108 locations , including 36 threatened species .

Wildlife experts say the significance of these reports extends beyond population figures. By investing in institutions such as AIWC , deploying technologies like GPS-based monitoring and the Varudai mobile application, and conducting synchronised annual surveys, Tamil Nadu is creating a long-term biodiversity monitoring framework capable of detecting ecological changes before they become crises.

As climate change, habitat fragmentation, and urban expansion place increasing pressure on ecosystems, the state's approach is increasingly being viewed as a model for evidence-based conservation in India, where continuous monitoring helps ensure that wildlife protection is guided by science rather than assumptions.