TN govt sanctions Rs 1 cr to conserve four lesser-known endangered animal species

Chennai, Oct 3 (PTI) The Tamil Nadu government on Friday sanctioned Rs one crore to conserve four lesser-known endangered species such as the Lion-Tailed Macaque, Madras Hedgehog, Striped Hyena, and Hump-Headed Mahseer Fish.

This "pioneering initiative" will support habitat monitoring, long-term population studies, the setting up of conservation breeding centres, and ecological surveys, among other aspects, the government said.

For the Mahseer, in-situ culture, breeding and release programmes will be undertaken to revive the riverine fish population.

"Conservation efforts have historically focused on charismatic species, but many lesser-known species continue to face a silent threat of extinction due to habitat loss, poaching, road mortality, ecological neglect, and invasive pressures," Additional Chief Secretary, Environment, Climate Change, and Forests Supriya Sahu, said in a release here.

Each of these species, though not always in the public eye, contributed indispensably to the health of ecosystems through functions such as pollination, seed dispersal, disease regulation, and water system restoration. The scheme targets four species of high ecological importance.

The Lion-Tailed Macaque, an endangered primate endemic to the Western Ghats, survives in fragmented forest patches with highly restricted distribution. The Madras Hedgehog, nocturnal and cryptic in its lifestyle, is found in semiarid landscapes of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Kerala, yet remains understudied and unprotected.

The Striped Hyena, a near-threatened species and natural scavenger, plays a critical role in regulating diseases but is facing rapid decline in the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve landscape. The Hump-Headed Mahseer, once abundant in the Moyar River, is now critically endangered due to dam construction, destructive fishing practices, pollution, and invasive species introduction, the release said. PTI JSP JSP ROH