Nilgiri Tahr:Hemitragus hylocrius

The Nilgiri Tahr, is an endangered mountain goat, found primarily in the Western Ghats including the Nilgiri Hills of southern Part of India. Also known as the Nilgiri Ibex, this endangered animal is severely under threat, though conservation efforts have resulted in its numbers increasing in the later half of the 20th century.

• Zoological name:Hemitragus hylocrius :The Nilgiri Tahr mostly be seen in open terrain, cliffs and grass-covered hills, a habitat largely confined to altitudes from 1200 to 2600 m. Their habitat extended far and wide all along these hills in the past, but hunting and habitat destruction have decimated them to such an extent that they now exist only in a few isolated sites - the Nilgiri hills, Kerala and in the Southern tip of the peninsula.

• NO. Of species: It is estimated that there are around 2000 Nilgiri Tahrs in the Western Ghats, with around 450 in the Nilgiri Hills and 760 in the Erivakulam National Park in Kerala.

• Physical characteristics: The Nilgiri Tahr is a study mountain goat with a largely brown coat, with a dark brown band found on the center of the back and a lighter white colored chest, belly and throat. Both males and females have horns that curve backwards. The horns are about 40 cm long in males and 30 cm in females.

• Behavior: Nilgiri Tahrs are usually seen in small herds. They are seen grazing during the day and rest during the night. Male Tahrs are known to fight during the mating season or over territory.