The mammals are the class of vertebrate animals characterized by the presence of mammary glands, the presence of hair or fur; specialized teeth; the presence of a neocortex region in the brain; and endothermic or 'warm-blooded' bodies. The brain regulates endothermic and circulatory system, including a four-chambered heart. In India there are 410 species, 186 genera, 45 families and 13 orders of which nearly 89 species are listed as threatened in the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Animals (IUCN 2006).

The Nilgiri tahr (Nilgiritragus hylocrius) is endemic to the Nilgiri Hills and the southern portion of the Western Ghats in the states of Tamilnadu and Kerala in Southern India. It is the state animal of Tamilnadu. It is more closely related to the sheep of the Ovis genus than the Ibex and wild goats of the Capra genus. The Nilgiri tahr inhabits the open montane grassland habitat of the South Western Ghats, locally known as sholas at elevations from 1200 to 2600 metres, surrounded by dense forests at the lower elevations. WWF-India has put the current population at 3122.

IUCN Status: Endangered (EN) Photo: Navaneeth Kishor