Thriving ‘neer maruthu’ trees in Mudhumalai Tiger Reserve provide refuge for endangered vultures

Researchers from the Advanced Institute for Wildlife Conservation, Chennai on with the Tamil Nadu Forest Department person enumerated the beingness of much than 10,000 thriving Terminalia arjuna (known arsenic ‘neer maruthu’ successful Tamil) trees successful the Moyar stream vale of the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (MTR).

The trees service arsenic a nesting tract for the critically endangered White-rumped vulture (Gyps bengalensis) successful the region, and it is hoped that the survey volition supply invaluable insights for conservation initiatives to assistance planners assistance the vulture populations successful expanding into habitats surrounding MTR, from wherever they person either diminished oregon disappeared entirely.

The work, funded by the Mudumalai Tiger Conservation Foundation, Udhagamandalam was carried retired during 2024 on the agelong and winding agelong of the main Moyar river, and besides covered respective of its tributaries - Avarallah, Bhoodhipatti, Edakkarapallam, lyanmathi, Kakkanallah, Kedarallah, Kokkalthuraihallah, Konamasipatti, Mukurthipallam, Poochapallam, Segurallah, Siriyurallah and Varapallam streams. Along with the enumeration of the Arjuna trees (Terminalia arjuna) successful Mudumalai Tiger Reserve, the girth, tallness and the regeneration presumption of the histrion taxon were besides noted.

Healthy presence

Researchers S. Iyanar, Malavika S. Nair and Thirumurugan Vedagiri noted the beingness of 10,127 trees on the 77.6 kilometre agelong of stream successful MTR. Of these, astir 93 per cent of the trees were recovered to beryllium live and thriving on the river-course, indicating a steadfast population. Mortality was observed successful lone 7% of T. arjuna trees, which is debased successful ecological terms, researchers stated. Also, these trees clasp a affluent biomass (93,589.6 tons) and c banal (46,794.8 tons) successful the landscape, they added.

A abbreviated work of the findings of the team, titled ‘Status and ecological value of Terminalia arjuna, a keystone taxon successful the riparian wood of Moyar River Valley successful Mudumalai Tiger Reserve, Southern India,’ and authored by researchers including S. Iyanar, V. Thirumurgan et al, was published successful 2025 successful the Journal of Wildlife Sciences.

The researcher said the largest fig of trees were recovered successful Segur and Masinagudi ranges. “The fig of trees successful assorted size classes showed important saltation amongst the wood ranges,” the authors note, adding that trees successful Masinagudi, Segur, and Theppakadu ranges “indicated a healthy, regenerating wood with a sizeable fig of young trees. “In contrast, NES and Singara ranges showed a diminution successful the beingness of smaller size people trees indicating that these areas person dilatory recruitment and imaginable hindrance successful the constitution of young trees.”

Speaking to The Hindu, Thirumurugan Vedagiri, 1 of the pb authors of the insubstantial and task coordinator from the Advanced Institute for Wildlife Conservation, said that the Moyar vale is 1 of the strongholds for Terminalia arjuna and this bodes good for the betterment of the highly endangered White-rumped vulture.

A haven

Researchers noted the beingness of 56 nests of White-rumped vultures and 157 nests of Malabar elephantine squirrels successful the trees. The trees besides person ecological associations with different autochthonal works taxon arsenic good arsenic animals, with tigers and leopards utilizing the trees to sharpen their claws and different taxon similar marsh crocodiles, elephants and cervid utilizing the shadiness from the trees to remainder and bask. Sloth bears excessively beryllium connected the trees arsenic termites often physique ample mounds adjacent them, the researchers note.

Mr. Thirumurugan added vultures similar to nest successful trees that person ample crowns. “There is 1 histrion successful the portion with a crown radius of 700 centimetres, wherever vultures are known to nest each year. Ensuring that these trees are protected from immoderate pressures volition assistance the vulture populations successful the long-run,” helium added.

R. Kiruba Shankar, Field Director of MTR, said the wood section was moving towards actively encouraging the re-establishment of autochthonal flora wrong the tiger reserve done an ambitious program of eliminating 2 of the region’s cardinal invasive taxon – Senna spectabilis and Prosopis juliflora wholly from the scenery by the extremity of 2026. “We anticipation that these efforts volition pb to further enlargement of autochthonal flora taxon done the reserve, ensuring much situation availability for taxon specified arsenic the White-rumped vulture,” said Mr. Shankar.