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Journalism of Courage
As the Tamil Nadu government has issued orders to conserve the Nilgiri tahr, the state animal, at a cost of Rs 25.14 crore, a project that is touted as the first in the country, IAS officer Supriya Sahu, who is the additional chief secretary of Environment Climate Change & Forests, posted various photos and videos of the endangered animal on Twitter.
The Nilgiri tahr is an ungulate that is endemic to the Nilgiri Hills. “A historic day today for us at #TNForest as India’s first ‘Project Nilgiri Tahr’ takes shape. Government orders issued for conservation of the most beautiful & enigmatic Nilgiri Tahr, the State animal of TN at a cost of Rs 25.14 Cr. VC& Pic S.Natarajan & WWF #ProjectNilgiriTahr,” Sahu tweeted.
“Congratulations! This is so amazing,” commented a user. “Late in the 1980s I vaguely recall my first sight of this native beauty at the Mukurti sanctuary and it appeared out of the blue to startle me,” said another. “Lovely…I recently visited Munnar and was lucky to see Tahr. Their eyes are so beautiful,” shared a third.
The Rs 25.14 crore project would be implemented during a 5-year period from 2022-2027, and follow a strategy including synchronised surveys to estimate numbers of the tahrs through radio telemetry and radio-collaring, among others, the government said.
Locally known as Varaiaadu, the tahr has been an endangered species and is protected under Schedule-I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act of India, 1972.
