Recently, Tamil Nadu government sanctioned Rs 1 crore for conserving four lesser-known endangered species, shifting focus beyond flagship animals.

About the Initiative

• Aims to protect the lion-tailed macaque, Madras hedgehog, striped hyena, and hump-headed mahseer.
• Supports habitat monitoring, ecological surveys, and long-term population studies.
• Establishes conservation breeding centres and special interventions like canopy bridges for macaques.
• Promotes community awareness, staff training, and in-situ breeding/release programmes for mahseer revival.

Conservation Details of Targeted Species

Significance of the Initiative

• The programme strengthens biodiversity conservation by protecting lesser-known endangered species and reducing human-wildlife conflict. 
• It builds on Tamil Nadu’s recent conservation milestones, including the Dugong Conservation Reserve in Palk Bay, the Kadavur Slender Loris Sanctuary, and Project Nilgiri Tahr, aligning with the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework’s 30×30 goals.

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