Muthuvan tribe

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About Muthuvan tribe

These people live on the border hill forests of Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
They speak slightly two different dialects and call each other Malayalam Muthuvan and Pandi Muthuvan.
They are animists and spirit worshippers and also worship the forest gods,
They believe that the spirits of their ancestors are to be the first migrants to the hill forests.
They are known for coexisting with the wildlife with their traditional knowledge.
These tribal people follow a unique system of governance called the ‘Kani System’.
Under this system, each village is headed by a ‘Kani’, who is responsible for the administration of the village.
They have expertise in traditional medicines which are very effective and these medicines and the medicine men are confidentially preserved and passed on to the generations.
Occupation: Agriculture is the main occupation of these Muthuvan tribes, producing quite a number of products like ragi, cardamom and lemon grass.

What is Project Tahr?

Under this project the Tamil Nadu government plans to develop a better understanding of the Nilgiri Tahr population through surveys and radio telemetry studies
Reintroduce the Tahrs to their historical habitat
Address proximate threats.
Increase public awareness of the species
Time period: The project is to be implemented for a 5 year period from 2022 to 2027.

Q1) What is Nilgiri Tahr

It is a species of ungulate, or hoofed mammal, that is native to the Western Ghats of southern India. It is a type of mountain goat and is known for its distinctive appearance and its preference for high-altitude habitats.

Source: Forest Department banks on native wisdom of Muthuvan tribe for Nilgiri Tahr conservation