Nilgiri Tahr @ Eravikulam

The best place to see the Nilgiri Tahr is Eravikulam National Park situated very close to Munnar Hill Station. I had visited Eravikulam on various occasions and have missed the tahr only once.

The Nilgiri Tahr are stocky goats with short coarse fur and a bristly mane. Both male and females have curved horns reaching up to 40cms on males and 30 on females. Adult males weigh about 100 kgs in weight and stand at 100 cms tall. Adult males develop a light gray on their back, like a saddle and hence are called ‘saddlebacks’.

This time around I visited Eraviklulam National Park as this year was ending. With huge crowds due to the holiday season, I was pretty unsure if we would have the pleasure to sight these endangered animals. My apprehensions were unfounded. With a huge crowd overlooking them, a herd of Tahr joined us quite unmindful of the commotion.

The fellow above was quite okay with the amount of flash lights and camera noises and continued to mulch grass.  And as if to reassure me, the fellow was joined by a sibling in a few moments. Both the goats continued their grazing before sauntering off in the rocky cliffs. 

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