Endangered Species Western Ghats

Environmental importance of the Western Ghats

The region is home to some of the rarest species of plant and animal life on Earth. Asian elephants, Indian tigers, Leopards and the endangered lion-tailed macaque (which is unique to the region) are but a few examples of the animals found here.

Although there are several wildlife sanctuaries and national parks in the Western Ghats, large and sensitive areas remain at risk. Expanding cities and agriculture, mining for iron and manganese and traffic in wildlife products pose the most serious environmental threat.

Conservation International has declared the Western Ghats a 'Biodiversity Hotspot' - a region that harbors a great diversity of endemic species and at the same time, has been significantly impacted and altered by human activities. The United Nations Environmental Programme also considers closed-forest preservation 'critical' in the area and all of India.

A few of the threatened species as listed below:

Nilgiri tahr
The Nilgiri Tahr (Hermitragus hylocrius) is restricted to the highest reaches of the southern Western Ghats. This endemic and endangered species of mountain goat is shy and extremely agile, preferring to stay on steep mountain cliffs, where it feeds almost exclusively on wild grass. Its main predators are Leopards, Tigers, and Dhole (Indian wild dogs), although hunting during the colonial and post independence years also took its toll. These factors, combined with extensive habitat loss, mean the Nilgiri Tahr population is now estimated at no more than 2000 individuals in the wild.

Nilgiri langur
Nilgiri langurs (Trachypithecus johnii) are endemic to the southern Western Ghats. The main habitat of these leaf-eating monkeys are the primary rainforests, but they are also found in moist-deciduous forest and in a few deciduous forests. Nilgiri langurs are common in a few localized habitats, such as Periyar Tiger Reserve in Kerala and the Indira Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary in the Anaimalais hills of Tamil Nadu.

Lion-tailed macaque
The lion-tailed macaque (Macaca silenus) is confined to the wet evergreen forests of the southern Western Ghats. An endemic and endangered primate, it attracted global attention when one of its favored habitats — Silent Valley — came under threat from developers wanting build a hydroelectric dam. After a protracted grassroots campaign, the dam project was scrapped and Silent Valley became Kerala's first National Park (the highest level of protection accorded by the Indian government).

Saddleback
Mature Nilgiri Tahr (Hermitragus hylocrius) males are called saddlebacks because of the silver-colored markings that they develop on their backside. They generally roam the hills in small bachelor parties of three to five individuals, rejoining the larger herd in the rutting season during monsoon.

Gray-breasted Laughing-thrush
The gray-breasted laughing thrush (Garalux jerdoni) is found in the high altitude shola forests of the southern Western Ghats. This endemic bird likes low bushes, where it feeds on fruit and small insects. Its nearest relatives are thousands of kilometers away in the Himalayas. This illustrates an interesting evolutionary link that was severed by changing climatic conditions.