The incredibly biodiverse Nilgiris are home to southern India's only mountain ungulate - the Nilgiri tahr. Capable of scaling steep and rocky terrains, this mountain goat is the state animal of Tamil Nadu and a sure-footed presence in Western Ghats landscape. But why is its population endangered? Watch our film to find out.
About the contributor
Sustain Team
We are a driven group of people from diverse backgrounds, bound by an abiding love for India’s natural world.
Related Content
Clouds, Hills, and Sightings of the Nilgiri Tahr
Found exclusively in South India, the Nilgiri tahr inhabits rocky hillsides and grasslands of the Western Ghats, but for how long?
Mountain Monarchs of High Asia
A salute to the various species of wild sheep and goat that inhabit Asia’s mountains, and have had a defining influence on the course of human civilisation
Not Wastelands: Non-forest Habitats of the Western Ghats
Climate change and habitat mismanagement threaten the unique and ecologically distinct montane grasslands, high-elevation swamps and rocky outcrops of the Western Ghats
Agile Mountaineer: The Treacherous Summit of the Ibex
Every winter, as heavy snow envelops the Himalayan mountains, the Ibex descends to the lower slopes in search of food. But the journey is long and arduous, and danger lurks at every bend
The Ladakh Urial’s Life at the Edge
The urial has roamed the high mountains of Asia since the Ice Age, but recent climate changes, new developments, competition with livestock, and other shifts are testing its survival skills. Will this monarch of the mountains survive the challenges we throw at it?
Nilgiri Tahr: Facts, Habitat, and Protection Status
All you need to know about these steep, mountain climbers