Way to Valparai - Some Endangered Animals on the Road

 

I had a chance to go to Valparai last week. We were able to see few Lion-Tailed Macaque (Macaca Silenus) and a family of Nilgiri Tahr (Nilgiritragus Hylocrius) on the road. Both are unique to Western Ghats. One courageous Macaque climbed over the hood of the car, probably looking for food. Feeding wild animals are prohibited and we closed the windows to be safe.

Lion-Tailed Macaque is one of India’s endangered mascot species. It has a wonderful mane of hair around its face that makes it look like a lion and also its tail, which has a tuft of fur at the end, which looks like a lion's tail. This species is endemic to the Western Ghats hill ranges in south-western India.

Nilgiri Tahr is endemic to Western Ghats in the states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala in southern India. It is the state animal of Tamil Nadu.