WWF launches kids’ book on need to protect Nilgiri Tahr

Grandmaster Viswanath Anand has also been roped in as a brand ambassador to protect the State animal and he will educate youngsters on environment and forestry, WWF sources said.

“WWF India has been working on the landscape of the Nilgiri Tahr, Niligiri Marten, Lion Tailed Macaque and Hornbill for more than two decades and these important species play a crucial role in the conservation of east-flowing rivers that originate in The Nilgiris and drain into Tamil Nadu,” said Sanket Bhale, team leader, Western Ghats landscape programme, WWF India. Tahr plays an ecological role in the conservation of TN bound rivers like Moyar, Bhavani, Amaravati and Thamirabharani, he added.

The Nilgiri Tahr is the only mountain ungulate in southern India amongst the 12 species present in the country and by protecting this animal, the other species like Nilgiri langur, Nilgiri Marten, Nilgiri Pipit, Malabar laughing Thrush can also be protected, Bhale said.

A large part of the Tahr population has depleted from its historical range, and the existing population is under severe stress due to habitat loss and hunting, he added. “Conserving the Tahr is equivalent to conserving the pristine shola-grassland ecosystem. The Mukurthi National Park is a unique protected ecosystem created to conserve the grasslands and the Tahr. The government is keen on protecting the State animal which is also an iconic species of The Nilgiris landscape. Support for the Tahr in terms of books and celebrity ambassadors will help to enhance conservation efforts,” said TN Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Chief Wildlife Warden Shekar Kumar Niraj congratulating the team for bringing out a comic book on Tahr.

“Valli’s Nilgiri Adventures” is an engaging read with colourful illustrations and a captivating storyline. Valli, the main character of a school-going girl, visits The Nilgiris on an education trip with her classmates. The book vividly brings to life the experiences she gains in the forests, sighting wildlife, including the elusive Nilgiri Tahr, a press release from WWF said. This comic book is part of WWF’s Tahr conservation project authored by Arthy Muthanna Singh and Mamta Nainy, the release added.