Why are tigers dying in Nilgiris district?
- A total of 10 tigers (six cubs and four adults) have died in the Nilgiris since the middle of August.
- The inability of the state forest department to trace the whereabouts of the two mother tigresses has raised concerns among conservationists about the welfare of the animals.
Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve
- It harbours a wide spectrum of ecosystem types such as tropical evergreen forests, Montane sholas and grasslands, semi-evergreen forests, moist deciduous forests, dry deciduous forests and thorn forests.
- The major part of the core areas spread over Kerala and Tamil Nadu States.
- This range of ecosystem occurs from hilly terrain to the meadows extending from 300 to 2670 m constituting an excellent habitat for the flora, fauna and other microbial forms.
- The varied habitats of the NBR house a sizeable number of species of animals and plants including a large number of endemics having special relevance to conservation.
- Animals like Nilgiri tahr, Nilgiri langur, slender loris, blackbuck, tiger, gaur, Indian elephant and marten are found here.
- Tribal groups like the Todas, Kotas, Irullas, Kurumbas, Paniyas, Adiyans, Edanadan Chettis, Cholanaickens, Allar, Malayan, etc., are native to the reserve.
- Protected Areas within the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve are
- The Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary
- Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary
- Bandipur National Park
- Nagarhole National Park
- Mukurthi National Park
- Silent Valley.
Prelims Takeaway
- Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve