10-Sep-2018: Pondicherry shark’ has been spotted near coastal Andhra Pradesh.

Researchers recently spotted ‘Pondicherry shark’, an endangered species protected under the provisions of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, in the East Godavari River Estuarine Ecosystem region.

Scientifically known as Carcharhinus hemiodon, it belongs to the Carcharhinidae family with a growth of 3.3 feet. Known as ‘Pala Sora’ in the local parlance, the Pondicherry Shark is on the verge of extinction even according to the conventional fishermen.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has listed the Pondicherry shark as Critically Endangered.

The shark is among the 25 “most wanted lost” species that are the focus of Global Wildlife Conservation’s “Search for Lost Species” initiative.

31-Aug-2018: Nilgiri Tahr's population improves

A recent census has revealed that the population of the Nilgiri Tahr (an endangered mountain goat) at the Mukurthi National Park has grown by an impressive 18% in the last two years, from 480 to 568.

Tamil Nadu Forest Department officials said that a count conducted in 2016 had put the population in the national park at around 480, but a revised count in 2017 pegged it at 438. Getting an exact figure each year is difficult, so there is always a small discrepancy in numbers. This year, however, there is a definite increase in the number of animals in the only pristine habitat left in the Nilgiris for the Tahr.

The population estimation exercise, completed in May, was conducted jointly by the Forest Department and the Department of Zoology and Wildlife Biology, Government Arts College, Udhagamandalam.

Apart from the increase in numbers, the sex ratio, too, was encouraging. From what we have recorded, there are two adult females for every male. This indicates a viable breeding population, and hints at further population growth.

But the bad news is that the population also faces several threats. Researchers point to the continuing spread of invasive species of flora, such as wattle and pine, and exotic weeds like scotch broom (Cystisus scoparius) and gorse, which end up diminishing grazing land. We don’t know how the consumption of exotic weeds will affect the animals. So we need a large-scale project to remove exotic plants. The Forest Department was stepping up efforts to remove exotics, with wattle eliminated in over 125 hectares of Shola grasslands.

The rise in the animals’ population has led to a few herds migrating out of the national park, into the erstwhile Nilgiris South Forest Division.

11-Jul-2018: Climate change threatens the Nilgiri Tahr

Nilgiri Tahr, endangered wild mountain goats – found only in high altitudes in India’s Western Ghats — could be losing their footing with increasing climate change. Even under moderate scenarios of future climate change, Tahrs could lose approximately 60% of their habitats from the 2030s on, predict scientists in their study in Ecological Engineering, an international journal that emphasizes the need for ecological restoration.

Scientists tried to predict how climate change can affect Tahr habitat in the Ghats by mapping Tahr distribution (using existing information and field surveys) and then using climatic factors of these locations to see where Tahrs would be able to survive, given current and future climate change scenarios.

They found that Tahr strongholds such as Chinnar, Eravikulam and Parambikulam in Kerala will still be stable habitats under different climate change scenarios.

However, other regions, including parts of Tamil Nadu’s Kalakkad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve and the wildlife sanctuaries of Peppara, Neyyar, Schenduruny and Srivilliputhur, could experience severe habitat loss in future; in total, approx. 60% of Tahr habitat could be lost across the Ghats from 2030s onwards. There are only around 2,500 Tahrs left in the wild and their population — “small and isolated, making them vulnerable to local extinction” — shows a “decreasing” trend, as per the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

Scientists had drafted a Tahr recovery plan in 2010. According to the report, only the Eravikulam and Mukurthi National Parks stress on Tahr-centered conservation activities in their management plans. Though the recovery plan identified “conservation units” and made site-specific recommendations, how much of it has been implemented is unclear. It is important that we focus our efforts on these conservation units and monitor isolated populations.