Wild Wonders
Exploring the Rich Biodiversity Explore the mesmerizing world of fauna within the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, where an intricate balance of hundreds of species weaves a vibrant tapestry of life, fostering biodiversity and ecological harmony.
Fauna
A Vibrant Tapestry of Coexistence
Delve into the diverse ecosystems of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, where hundreds of species coexist in intricate balance, creating a vibrant tapestry of life.
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The fauna of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve includes over 100 species of mammals, 80 species of reptiles and amphibians, 300 species of butterflies, and innumerable invertebrates. Additionally, 39 species of fish, 31 amphibians, and 60 species of reptiles endemic to the Western Ghats call the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve home. The NBR also contains about 350 species of twittering birds, with gorgeous and unique appearances.
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The wildlife of the reserve helps maintain ecological balance. Some of the mammals you can see are the tiger, elephant, Malabar giant squirrel, Nilgiri martin, panther, and leopard. The Mudumalai Tiger Reserve is a vast area that is preserved to increase the population of tigers in the region.
LEOPARD
The Indian leopard (Panthera pardus fusca) is prevalent throughout the Indian subcontinent. It faces threats such as the illicit trading of its skin and body parts, alongside conflicts with humans and predation of livestock. Estimates in 2015 indicated the presence of approximately 7,910 leopards in India’s tiger habitats, with the total population in India believed to be between 12,000 and 14,000. The Indian leopard’s diet is varied, feeding on creatures like axis and sambar deer, nilgai, wild pigs, common langurs, Indian hares, and peafowls. In the Periyar Tiger Reserve, a significant part of their diet consists of primates.
BENGAL TIGER
The Bandipur-Nagarhole -Parambikulam-Sathyamangalam-Mudumalai-Anamalai-Mukurthi series of tiger reserves have a population of over 800 of the big cats.
Today, it is threatened by poaching, loss, and fragmentation of habitat and was estimated to comprise fewer than 2,500 wild individuals by 2011. India’s tiger population was estimated at 2,603–3,346 individuals by 2018.
TAHR
The Nilgiri tahr (Nilgiritragus hylocrius), a unique ungulate, is native to the Nilgiri Hills and recognized as the state animal of Tamil Nadu, India. This species is exclusive to India and resides in the open montane grasslands within the South Western Ghats montane rain forests. These tahrs inhabit elevations ranging from 1,200 to 2,600 meters, where forests give way to vast grasslands dotted with dwarf forests, locally termed sholas. The lower elevations are encircled by denser forests. Historically, the Nilgiri tahrs roamed these grasslands in substantial herds, but their numbers dwindled in the 19th century due to hunting and poaching. Currently, they are classified as endangered on the IUCN Red List. The primary threats they face include habitat loss and disturbances from invasive species, along with issues such as livestock grazing, poaching, and habitat fragmentation in certain areas.
MARTEN
The Nilgiri Marten (Martes gwatkinsii), unique to southern India, inhabits the Nilgiri hills and certain areas of the Western Ghats. This species remains under-researched and is facing a dwindling population, with only about a thousand remaining, leading to its classification as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, primarily due to habitat loss and degradation. Characterized by a deep brown coloration from head to rump, the Nilgiri marten’s forequarters exhibit a reddish hue, and its throat is brightly colored, varying from yellow to orange. These martens possess bushy tails and sizeable paws with semi-retractable claws. Their fur, which ranges in color from yellowish to dark brown, is sought after in the fur trade, although, fortunately, the Nilgiri Marten is not targeted for this purpose. Omnivorous in nature, they feed on birds, small mammals, and insects, including cicadas, and are also known to consume a variety of fruits and seeds.
MALABAR GIANT SQUIRREL
The Malabar giant squirrel, also known as the Indian giant squirrel (Ratufa indica), is a notably large and multi-colored tree squirrel species, native exclusively to India’s forests and woodlands. This diurnal and arboreal creature primarily feeds on plant matter. Among the larger squirrel species, it boasts a head-and-body length ranging from 25 to 50 cm, a tail approximately equal to or slightly longer than its body, and weighs between 1.5 and 2 kg, sometimes reaching up to 3 kg. Its fur displays a variety of colors, including shades of white, creamy beige, buff, tan, rust, reddish-maroon, brown, dark seal brown, and black. The underside and front legs are typically cream-colored, with the head presenting in brown or beige and a notable white spot between the ears. The coloration varies among subspecies. Despite its rarity and elusive nature, the Malabar giant squirrel is not currently listed as a threatened species on the IUCN Red List.
LION-TAILED MACAQUE
The lion-tailed macaque (Macaca silenus), also known as the wanderoo, is an Old World monkey endemic to the Western Ghats of South India. An assessment in 2003 for IUCN reports that 3000–3500 of these animals live scattered over several areas in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Karnataka. With only around a few thousand members left, it is listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, mainly because of habitat loss and degradation. Their range has become increasingly isolated and fragmented by the spread of agriculture and tea, coffee, teak, and cinchona, the construction of water reservoirs for irrigation and power generation, and human settlements to support such activities. They do not live, feed, or travel through plantations. Silent Valley and Mukurthi National Parks within the Nilgiris biosphere have a higher concentration of these animals. However, it is no longer on ‘The World’s 25 Most Endangered Primates’ list, after the international body compiling it determined that the local governments in southern India had acted positively to protect it
NILGIRI LANGUR
The Nilgiri langur is a langur (a type of Old World monkey). This primate has glossy black fur on its body and golden brown fur on its head. Found in the Nilgiri Hills of the Western Ghats in South India has been listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. Its range also includes Kodagu in Karnataka, Kodayar Hills in Tamil Nadu, and many other hilly areas in Kerala and Tamil Nadu. It is also found in Silent Valley National Park of Kerala. In the canopy the macaque is sympatric (two populations that could breed but don’t due to various differences) with the Nilgiri langur in the southern ranges of the Western Ghats. Studies on such sympatric groups have revealed that an excellent system of resource partitioning has developed between the two species. The lion-tailed macaques feed on fruit and insects in the upper canopy, and the Nilgiri langurs feed primarily on leaves and some fruit in the middle or lower canopy, thereby resulting in a vertical stratification in these sympatric species.
GAUR
The gaur also known as the Indian bison, is a bovine native to South Asia and Southeast Asia and has been listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List since 1986. The global population was estimated at a maximum of 21,000 mature individuals in 2016, with the majority of those existing in India. It is the largest species among the wild cattle and the Bovidae. The Western Ghats and their outflanking hills in southern India Since 1982, it has been listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. Outside protected areas, it is threatened by the conversion of natural habitats, gets entangled in fishing nets, and is killed in human–wildlife conflict situations and in traffic accidents.
SLOTH BEAR
The sloth bear (Melursus ursinus), also known as the Indian bear, is a myrmecophagous bear species native to the Indian subcontinent. It feeds on fruits, ants, and termites. It is listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, mainly because of habitat loss and degradation. It is the only species in the genus Melursus. The sloth bear’s global range includes India, the Terai of Nepal, temperate climatic zones of Bhutan, and Sri Lanka. It is regionally extinct in Bangladesh. Sloth bears are expert hunters of termites and ants, which they locate by smell. In March and April, they eat the fallen petals of mowha trees and are partial to mangoes, sugar cane, jackfruit, and the pods of the golden shower tree. Sloth bears are extremely fond of honey.
PANGOLIN
The Indian pangolin (Manis crassicaudata), also called thick-tailed pangolin and scaly anteater is a pangolin native to the Indian subcontinent. It is listed as endangered on the IUCN Red List, mainly because of poaching, hunting, habitat loss, and degradation. Like other pangolins, it has large, overlapping scales on its body which act as armor. The color of its scales varies depending on the color of the earth in its surroundings. It can also curl itself into a ball in self-defense against predators such as the tiger. It is an insectivore feeding on ants and termites, digging them out of mounds and logs using its long claws, which are as long as its forelimbs. It is nocturnal and rests in deep burrows during the day. In Sri Lanka, it was sighted at an elevation of 1,100 m (3,600 ft), and in the Nilgiri mountains at 2,300 m (7,500 ft). It prefers soft and semi-sandy soil conditions suitable for digging burrows.
DHOLE
Other names for the species include Asian wild dog, Asiatic wild dog, Indian wild dog, whistling dog, red dog, red wolf, and mountain wolf. The dhole is a highly social animal, living in large clans without rigid dominance hierarchies and containing multiple breeding females. Such clans usually consist of about 12 individuals, but groups of over 40 are known. It is a diurnal pack hunter which preferentially targets large and medium-sized ungulates. In tropical forests, the dhole competes with the tiger (Panthera tigris) and the leopard (Panthera pardus), targeting somewhat different prey species, but still with substantial dietary overlap. It is listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, as populations are decreasing and estimated to comprise fewer than 2,500 mature individuals.
CIVET
The Asian palm civet is native to India and Southeast Asia. Its anal scent glands emit a nauseating secretion as a chemical defense when threatened or upset. It is an omnivore feeding foremost on fruits such as berries and pulpy fruits. It thus helps to maintain tropical forest ecosystems via seed dispersal. It eats chiku, mango, rambutan, and coffee, but also small mammals and insects.
SLENDER LORIS
The gray slender loris (Loris lydekkerianus) is a species of small primate in the family Loridae. Slender lorises are recognized for having extremely gracile limbs and extreme stereoscopic vision. The tail is vestigial. The average head-body length is 18–26 centimeters. Found in southern India and Sri Lanka, the gray slender loris inhabits primary and secondary rainforests, dry semi-deciduous forests, and montane cloud forests up to 2,000 meters (6,600 ft) above sea level. Although considered near threatened on the IUCN Red List and classified under Schedule I (Part 1) of the Indian Wildlife Act, 1972, the threat to these primates is increasing. Insects form the main source of food for lorises. Farmlands, which are high in cattle waste, produce large amounts of insects. Thus lorises do not compete with humans for resources and therefore tend to be tolerated by them. Habitat fragmentation is also a threat to the loris population, as well as the loss of acacia trees, which is a preferred tree species for the loris.
