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Nilgiri Tahr Foundation
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The Nilgiri Tahr Foundation has been launched in Kerala with the objective of studying,
monitoring and conducting research on the highly endangered tahrs (mountain goats)
of the Western ghats.
Eravikulam national Park in Munnar, 110 km away from Cochin has the only viable
population of tahr. Other areas have only fragmented populations. It is estimated
that there are around 2000 tahr in the Western Gahats, a recent census says that
800 tahrs occupy Eravikulam National Park.
Apart from Eravikulam, there are small populations in the Ghats in Mukurti, Palni
Hills, Anaimalais, Parambikulam, Silent Valley, Periyar Tiger reserve and Agasthyakoodam.
Moha Alepath, President of the Foundation has served as Range Officer and Warden
of Ernakulam. G. Shaheed, Secretary is an environment journalist and a former member
of the Kerala Wildlife Board.
The immediate objectives of this non-governmental Foundation are to make a database
including the mapping of the pockets in the Western Ghats and to conduct field trips
to the different parts of the Ghats for visual count.
For further details contact
Nilgiri Tahr Foundation, 18/2062 C Valummel Road
P.O. Thoppumpady, Cochin 682 005
Phone (0484) 232237
E-mail: Alempath@hotmail.com
(Source: BNHS 'Hornbill' Oct-Dec '99)
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