3 months ago
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The Forest Department has taken up a survey connected Madras Hedgehog (paraechinus nudiventris) successful Thoothukudi territory arsenic portion of the Statewide effort connected conservation of little known endangered taxon successful Tamil Nadu.
In September, a Government Order was issued that ₹1 crore had been sanctioned for the conservation of 4 little known endangered taxon of Madras hedgehog, striped hyena, lion-tailed macaque, and hump-headed mahseer.
Under the scheme, ₹20.50 lakh had been allocated for the Madras hedgehog, tiny mammals recovered successful semi-arid landscapes of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Kerala.
In the archetypal signifier of the programme, a 27-day greeting and nocturnal survey was conducted successful Therikkaadu portion of the Thoothukudi territory and it resulted successful the archetypal confirmation grounds of a sub-adult antheral Madras Hedgehog from the reserved wood limits of Therikkaadu region.
The nocturnal species, weighing astir 220 gm were recorded by Abinesh Muthaiyan, task associate, and Anjoe Shaiju, tract assistant, with the enactment from wood guards and unit of Tiruchendur wood range.
The systematic survey conducted truthful acold successful the portion has covered 6 sq. km., utilizing a grid-based attack crossed heterogeneous thorn scrubs and degraded adust wood habitats. In addition, spotlights transects, an effectual method for detecting nocturnal taxon has been utilized for the survey.
Thoothukudi District Forest Officer M. Ilayaraja told The Hindu that 4 districts had been selected for the survey of Madras hedgehog successful the State, including Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi, and Kallakurichi. He said these nocturnal mammals were predominantly recovered successful adust spaces, scrubby jungles and palmyra groves. The archetypal signifier of the survey was conducted successful Therikkaadu portion from dusk until midnight implicit 27 days, amounting to much than 25 km of sampling effort.
About the reasons affecting the Madras Hedgehog population, helium blamed accelerated urbanisation and poaching for its alleged aesculapian value.
He said a large constituent of the survey was to make consciousness among the section radical for that the probe squad had carried grassroots conservation done assemblage engagement. Village wood committee meetings were conducted successful Punnaiyadi and Mela Pudukudi, involving section stakeholders specified arsenic farmers and students.
He said the researchers powerfully urge the scaling up of assemblage led conservation initiatives, with focused consciousness campaigns connected ecology, distribution, and ecological value of the Madras Hedgehog.
The conservation survey had been planned for adjacent 11 months successful Thoothukudi territory covering respective places, followed by different districts successful the upcoming phases. “While this sighting offers a beacon of hope, it underscores the urgent request for coordinated conservation to safeguard this elusive nocturnal mammals crossed Tamil Nadu,” Mr. Ilayaraja said.
