What Happened
- Ongoing restoration efforts in the Nilgiris are rebuilding the unique shola forest–grassland mosaic ecosystem, which has been degraded by over a century of plantation expansion, invasive species introduction, and land use change.
- Local communities, ecologists, government forest departments, and NGOs are working in concert on rewilding efforts across more than 300–500 acres of the Nilgiri plateau.
- Restoration work focuses on removing invasive exotic species (especially wattle and eucalyptus), replanting native grasses and shola trees, and reconnecting fragmented habitat patches.
- Eco-development committees formed with youth from nearby villages — such as Haritha Vasantham (Green Springs) — are trained and employed in restoration work, linking livelihoods with conservation.
- Conservation gardens promote the ornamental and ecological value of native plants, creating community awareness and buy-in.
- The Nilgiri tahr, the region's most iconic endemic species, has benefited from habitat recovery: the first synchronised tahr census (April 2025) across Tamil Nadu and Kerala counted 2,668 individuals.
- Tamil Nadu launched Project Tahr in 2023 at a cost of ₹25.14 crore, with habitat restoration, invasive species removal, and corridor mapping as its pillars.
- Less than 10% of the original shola–grassland complex remains in an intact state today.
Static Topic Bridges
Shola–Grassland Mosaic: A Unique Montane Ecosystem
Shola forests are patches of stunted, dense tropical montane evergreen forest found in the valley folds of the high Western Ghats (typically above 1,500 m elevation), separated from each other by expanses of rolling montane grassland. Together, they form the "shola–grassland mosaic" — a structurally and functionally inseparable unit where grasslands act as fire breaks and grassland hydrology feeds the shola trees. This mosaic is characterised by extremely high endemism: the Western Ghats region (of which Nilgiris is the core) holds 1,500 endemic flowering plant species and exceptionally high endemism in reptiles (48%), amphibians (75%), and birds.
- Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve: India's first Biosphere Reserve, designated in 1986 under UNESCO's Man and Biosphere (MAB) Programme; spans ~5,520 sq km across Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Karnataka.
- The Nilgiri plateau averages ~2,000 m elevation and once covered over 2,200 sq km with shola–grassland.
- Supports ~1,200 endemic plant species; the Western Ghats as a whole hosts ~3,500 flowering plant species, of which 1,500 are endemic.
- Key endemic fauna: Nilgiri tahr (Nilgiricapra hylocrius), Nilgiri woodpigeon, black-and-orange flycatcher, Nilgiri flycatcher, laughingthrushes.
- Western Ghats is one of the world's 36 recognised biodiversity hotspots (Conservation International framework).
Connection to this news: The current rewilding effort targets the shola–grassland mosaic specifically — its degradation is the proximate cause of wildlife decline in the Nilgiris, and its restoration is the ecological foundation for species like the Nilgiri tahr to recover.
Invasive Species Threat to Western Ghats Ecosystems
From the colonial era onwards, British forestry introduced exotic species — particularly black wattle (Acacia mearnsii), Eucalyptus spp., and pine (Pinus spp.) — into the Nilgiri highlands for timber. These species outcompete native grasses and understorey plants, alter soil chemistry, consume more water than native vegetation, and prevent natural shola regeneration. Wattle and eucalyptus plantations also fragment wildlife corridors, isolating populations of species like the Nilgiri tahr. The government banned new planting of wattle and eucalyptus in the Nilgiris in 1987, but existing invasive stands continue to spread.
- Black wattle (Acacia mearnsii) is particularly aggressive — nitrogen-fixing, fast-growing, and allelopathic to native ground flora.
- Eucalyptus is a high water-use species, lowering groundwater table and reducing stream flows in shola catchments.
- Invasive species removal is a core activity in Project Tahr and community restoration programmes.
- Native grasses targeted for restoration include Chrysopogon zeylanicus and Tripogon wightii — species that support the Nilgiri tahr's grazing habitat.
- The Wildlife Protection Act 1972 provides the framework for species-level protection (Schedule I for Nilgiri tahr); habitat protection rests on Forest Rights Act 2006 and state forest laws.
Connection to this news: Every hectare of invasive wattle or eucalyptus removed in the Nilgiris directly increases available native grassland for wildlife, especially the Nilgiri tahr — making invasive species management the most labour-intensive component of the rewilding agenda.
Nilgiri Tahr: Conservation Status and Recovery
The Nilgiri tahr (Nilgiricapra hylocrius) is the only mountain ungulate (wild goat) endemic to the Western Ghats, classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List. Its range is restricted to a 400-km stretch of shola–grassland mosaic from the Nilgiri Hills to the Agasthyamalai Hills. The species was severely impacted by hunting, habitat loss, and invasive species encroachment through the 20th century. Conservation breeding and habitat protection have allowed a partial recovery, but the population remains fragile and fragmented.
- IUCN status: Endangered (Nilgiricapra hylocrius).
- 2025 synchronised census: 2,668 individuals in the wild — Kerala (1,365) and Tamil Nadu (1,303).
- Eravikulam National Park, Kerala: highest density population (~841 individuals in 2025 census).
- Tamil Nadu declared the Nilgiri tahr its state animal in 2023.
- Project Tahr (2023): ₹25.14 crore; activities include habitat restoration, invasive species removal, corridor mapping (Mukurthi, Anamalai, Glenmorgan, Eravikulam).
- Protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 — highest level of legal protection.
Connection to this news: The Nilgiri tahr serves as an umbrella species indicator for shola–grassland ecosystem health; its population trend directly reflects the success (or failure) of the broader rewilding programme described in this story.
Community-Based Conservation: Forest Rights and Livelihoods
Community participation is now a globally recognised pillar of conservation success. In India, the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006 (Forest Rights Act) formalised the rights of forest-dwelling communities to access, use, and protect forest lands. In the Nilgiris, indigenous Toda, Kota, and Irula communities have historically co-existed with the shola–grassland ecosystem, maintaining grassland structure through traditional pastoral practices. Restoration programmes that employ local youth (as in the Haritha Vasantham model) align livelihood generation with ecological outcomes.
- Forest Rights Act 2006 recognises both individual forest rights and community forest rights (CFR) for forest-dwelling Scheduled Tribes.
- Joint Forest Management (JFM) committees (established under a 1990 MoEF circular) involve local communities in regeneration and protection.
- Eco-development committees around Protected Areas serve a similar function, combining conservation work with income generation.
- Toda and other indigenous communities in the Nilgiris have traditional fire management and grazing practices that historically maintained the open grassland structure.
Connection to this news: The employment of local youth in restoration work (Haritha Vasantham) converts conservation from a top-down regulatory imposition into a community livelihood programme — this is the key lesson that makes Nilgiris rewilding efforts more durable than purely government-run interventions.
Key Facts & Data
- Less than 10% of the original shola–grassland mosaic in the Nilgiris remains intact today.
- Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve: India's first (1986), ~5,520 sq km across TN, Kerala, Karnataka; UNESCO MAB status.
- Western Ghats: one of 36 global biodiversity hotspots; ~3,500 flowering plant species, 1,500 endemic.
- Restoration underway: 300–500 acres on the Nilgiri plateau (community + government + NGO collaborative).
- Nilgiri tahr 2025 census: 2,668 individuals (Kerala 1,365 + Tamil Nadu 1,303); Eravikulam NP = ~841.
- Tamil Nadu State Animal (2023): Nilgiri tahr (IUCN: Endangered).
- Project Tahr: launched 2023, ₹25.14 crore outlay.
- Invasive species: wattle (Acacia mearnsii), eucalyptus — government ban on new planting in Nilgiris since 1987.
- Key native restoration species: Chrysopogon zeylanicus, Tripogon wightii grasses.
- Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve: spans Mukurthi, Eravikulam, Anamalai NPs and several wildlife sanctuaries.