UPSC Prelims Current Affairs for 3 October 2026

Himalayan Tahr Latest News

The Kedarnath Wildlife Division is preparing to restrict human activity in high-altitude meadows and clear rubbish from parts of its sanctuary after a survey found that visitors and local residents were feeding Himalayan tahrs.

About Himalayan Tahr

• It is a large, wild, goatlike mammal that lives on the mountain slopes and in the forests of the Himalayas.  
• Scientific Name: Hemitragus jemlahicus.

Himalayan Tahr Habitat and Distribution

• It is found in southern Tibet, northern India, western Bhutan, and Nepal. 
• In the Himalayas, they are mostly found on slopes between 2,500 and 5,000 meters high.
• In India, they are found in the states of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Sikkim.  

Himalayan Tahr Features

• They are shorter in height than they are long. 
• They have a small head, small pointed ears, and large eyes. 
• They are sexually dimorphic, with females being smaller in weight and in size and having smaller horns. 
• Male horns can grow up to 46 cm long. 
• The horns curve backward, which helps prevent injuries when males fight during mating season.
• The exterior of a tahr is well adapted to the harsh climate of the Himalayas.  
• They are double coated with a dense, reddish to dark brown woolly coat, and a thick undercoat. 
• Their coats are thin with the end of winter and become lighter in color. 
• As a member of the ungulate group of mammals, the Himalayan tahr has an even number of toes. They can grip both smooth and rough surfaces.
• They are gregarious animals. They live in all-male and all-female herds that usually include up to 80 members.  
• Himalayan Tahr Conservation Status
  • It is classified as 'Near Threatened' under the IUCN Red List.

Key Facts about Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary (KWS)

• The KWS, famously known as the Kedarnath Musk Deer Sanctuary, is located in the Rudraprayag and Chamoli districts of Uttarakhand.
• The area falls under the West Himalayan Zone in the Palearctic realm.
• It was named after the famous Hindu temple of Kedarnath, which lies outside the northern border of the sanctuary.
• Its alternate name comes from its primary purpose of protecting the endangered Himalayan musk deer.
• The sanctuary was established in 1972, covering a total area of 975.20 sq.km.
• It is the largest protected area in the western Himalayas.
• It lies in the upper catchment of the Alaknanda and Mandakini Rivers.
• The altitude ranges from 1,160 to 7,068 m.
• It is bordered by Kedarnath (6940 m), Mandani (6193 m), and Chaukhamba (7068 m) peaks in the north. 
• Vegetation:
  • It is covered with temperate forests.
  • The higher and upper regions possess the sub-alpine and alpine coniferous forests.
  • At high altitude, lush green meadows envelope the entire region. 
• Flora: Oak, rhododendrons, Chir Pine and Alpine meadows along with several Himalayan flowering plants. 
• Fauna: 
  • Some of the mammals are Musk deer, Himalayan Thar, Himalayan Black bear, Snow Leopard, etc.
  • The birds found here are, Nepal Tree-creeper, Little Pied Flycatcher, Koklass Pheasant, Grey-cheeked Warbler, Himalayan Monal and Kalij Pheasant.

News: NIE