Eravikulam park opened for visitors

80-odd Nilgiri tahr births reported

April 03, 2021 07:00 pm | Updated 07:14 pm IST - IDUKKI

A pair of Nilgiri tahr inside the Eravikulam National Park near Munnar in Idukki district.

A pair of Nilgiri tahr inside the Eravikulam National Park near Munnar in Idukki district.

After remaining closed for two months of calving season of the Nilgiri tahr, the Eravikulam National Park (ENP) is now open for visitors. Around a thousand people visited the park on April 1, the day of reopening. Officials of the ENP said that around 80 new births of tahr had been reported and a final count would be taken next week. Visitors are allowed entry from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. by adhering to the COVID-19 protocol. Last year, 111 births were reported.

The total number of Nilgiri tahr in the ENP, its natural habitat, is around 800. For over a decade their population has almost been stagnant as they fall easy prey to leopard, wild dog, and other carnivorous animals.

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