The Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve (NBR) sits amidst the Western Ghats, where the wilderness breathes in an ethereal landscape that is composed of misty mountains and swift rivers.
Its identity was established back in 1986 by the government as India’s first official biosphere reserve. The Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve then gained global recognition by coming under UNESCO’s wing of Man and Biosphere (MAB) in the year 2000. The reserve expands over 5,520 sq km that crosses three southern states – Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka — making it one of the largest protected landscapes in the country.
The enchanting forests of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve seem to be no less than a wonderland for the wild. The very name of the prominent mountain range it cradles, Nilgiri, comes from two words: nil, which is derived from the endemic blue flower Neelakurinji, and giri that means a mountain. Their union translates into Blue Mountains, a picturesque epithet the world has come to know this reserve by.
Many believe that it was the mesmerised eyes of indigenous tribes that bestowed the name to the hills with exactly what they witnessed: the range covered in a hue of purplish-blue from flowers that bloom once every 12 years.
There are a total of six sanctuaries and national parks that compile the reserve across the three southern states, each fostering distinct vegetation. From dry to moist deciduous forests to evergreen grasslands and sholas, these woodlands are harbouring abundant flora and fauna, many of which cannot be found elsewhere.
The Illuminating Importance of the Reserve
The flowers that gleam in this reserve capture the importance of the Nilgiris Biosphere Reserve. From an eagle eye view, the reserve glistens with rivers channeling their way, hosts countless species of plants and animals, and provides a sanctuary to the oldest of tribes residing here.
The Flourishing Flora & Fauna
The woodlands welcome you to an overwhelming amount of life that is mushrooming and flourishing here. More than 3,700 species of plants thrive across the landscape.
Baeolepis, a genus of stunning flowering plants, is only found in this reserve. As many as 175 species of orchids flourish here, of which eight are endemic to the region. The Nilgiris are also home to 100 species of mammals, 550 species of birds, 39 species of fish, and 31 of reptiles and amphibians. Some of the wild animals inhabiting the lands of the forests are sloth bears, elephants, tigers, lion-tailed macaque, and Malabar giant squirrel.
There are also species who carry the very name they originated from, with spread over the range – Nilgiri tahr, an iconic species, along with ground mammals like Nilgiri langur and Nilgiri marten, Nilgiri danio and Nilgiri barb in the water, and Nilgiri wood pigeon in the air, to name a few. While all have spread far and wide into the sprawling Western Ghats, the Nilgiri danio has chosen to remain within the Nilgiri waters itself.
The forests in this reserve provide connectivity for all animals to move freely, which helps them maintain a healthy genetic diversity. How? When species mate without being restricted to one area, it keeps the genes resilient and highly adaptable to environmental changes.
The Meandering Rivers
As if bound by some earthly incantation, six protected areas are woven together through six rivers – Pykara, Sigur, Bhavani, Pandiar, Siruvani, and Kabini.
These rivers act as a steady source of water for the wildlife, while creating a rich riparian habitat. The flowing streams hydrate grasslands and sholas that rely on the water they have the ability to retain throughout the year.
The Indigenous People
Another significant realm resides amidst the bristling leaves. Many tribal communities have depended on the biodiverse land for years, and continue to maintain their traditional way of life within it.
Todas, Irulas, Kotas, Kurumba and Paniyas are a few of the native groups found in the Nilgiris. In the highest altitudes of around 1,500 m to 2,600 m is where the Todas and Kotas reside. The mid-elevation zone of 900 m to 1,500 m is occupied by Kurumbas and Irulas. Paniyas live in the foothills, at the low altitude zone of 300 m-900 m.
Each has nurtured a unique, qualitative wisdom that has passed on with every generation. For instance, the Irulas have an excellent understanding of herbal medicine. Their ancestral understanding of medicinal plants reflects intimate knowledge they have of endemic species like Baeolepis nervosa. They are also musically gifted, proficient in playing as many as eight different instruments that are handmade by the community itself. Another old tribe are the Kurumbas, known to be proficient food gatherers. They can expertly gather honey using their cultivated skills of climbing extremely high trees. The women of the Toda tribe have mastered the art of gorgeous embroidery work that can be seen on shawls called puthkuli that they make. The patterns are inspired by the elegant environment that envelops them.
These tribal communities, however, have been facing tragic consequences since the colonial era, when cash crops and tea plantations took over their areas of residence and pushed them to work in them. Today, in this modern age of rapidly rising anthropogenic activities, these very communities from the precious wild hold the closest knowledge of nature, which is woven deeply in their culture.
Threats That Shadow The Reserve
The whispering winds in this reserve carry timeless tales, but they are also privy to the threats this ecosystem faces.
Proliferating Plantations
Crossing ripples of blues and glowing greens lie vast expanses of tea, coffee and vegetable plantations. These plantations are causing a domino effect throughout the reserve. A lot of the reserve’s natural vegetation has been displaced by agricultural fields. Nilgiri is the largest tea growing district in South India. With tea produce dominating its economy, local farmers turn towards monoculture as an agricultural practice. The land is subjected to intense pressure with the use of a large number of fertilisers and pesticides.
Vegetable farms are located on steep slopes, which has caused excess amounts of soil erosion. In turn, the capacity of the soil to retain water has also decreased, giving way to depleted water reserves.
Hacking of Habitats
The land has been reshaped because of change in land-use patterns. What is meant to be an expanse for wildlife is facing severe fragmentation due to human encroachment activities, such as building roads as infrastructure. This has caused the reserve’s intricately woven landscape to split into slivers of land.
Undoubtedly, this has led wildlife to step into their erstwhile territories that have been taken over by human beings, giving a sharp incline to human-wildlife conflict cases, the impact of which adversely affects people and animals alike. Locals experience large-scale crop depredation, infrastructure damage and livestock loss. The fauna that is entrapped in conviction are elephants, sloth bears and even tigers. Along with these charismatic species are reptiles, ungulates and small mammals that have become victims to road accidents.
In order to conserve the entire biodiversity that exists in the region, it is paramount to protect the keystone species as anchors of ecological balance.
Tangling with Tourism
Travellers make their way to the reserve for a fleeting period of time, but they leave behind everlasting, unfortunate footprints.
The Nilgiris are bound to attract a lot of tourists. Major destinations for explorers include Ooty and Coonoor that involve safaris in the national parks and wildlife sanctuaries. While developments have been made to provide the visitors with luxuries, no heed has been paid to control damage caused to natural habitats. Visitors are unaware of practices that align with the concept of ethical tourism. A stark evidence of this is the abundance of plastic waste found in the parks that contribute to its degradation. Under the context of spotting species, overcrowding in areas disrupts wildlife and their natural routine.
Let’s Protect This Rich Reserve
The Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve is a priceless biome. The natural landscape of Nilgiris is also a wildlife corridor between Eastern and Western Ghats. However, this reserve is facing a crisis. The habitat under threat is raising red flags for the wildlife it homes.
With rising tourism and expanding agriculture, forests are being lost, making cases of human-wildlife conflict increase. The cherished biosphere is home to species like sloth bears and elephants that once roamed free along their memorised routes. They are now flailing to survive.
Wildlife SOS has launched a project to urgently protect the Nilgiris Biosphere Reserve. There is a dire need to restore and revive lost habitats, create awareness among local communities, and mitigate conflict through effective and long-lasting strategies. Reforestation alone is not enough to renew habitats and curb conflicts. Through knowledge and compassionate guidance, Wildlife SOS aims to integrate people sharing the space with the wild in securing the future of Nilgiri forests.
Our habitat conservation project in Ramdurga, Karnataka, was aimed to bring back wild sloth bears that had abandoned their degraded habitat. Thousands of native trees were planted to restore greenery in the arid land. The result was beyond astonishing. Not only did the revived forest bring back sloth bears, it also ensured the return of several other birds and mammals. Today, species are thriving in this land that is under the protection of locals who have remarkably contained disrupting activities like poaching.
Through our Nilgiri Conservation Project, we hope our efforts bring a similar shift in the landscape and mitigate the present conflict. You can help us retain and restore the magic of the Nilgiris Biosphere Reserve by making a donation.
Feature Image: Abhiman H/Wildlife SOS
