Title: Dwindling Buffalo Population Threatens Cultural Identity of Todar Community
Date: September 15, 2023
The Todar tribal people residing in the Nilgiris, India, have expressed growing concerns over the dwindling population of their sacred animal, the long, curved-horned gray buffalo. This unique species, known as the Thodar buffalo, has been classified as endangered, raising fears of its imminent extinction.
The Ministry of Animal Husbandry of the Government of Tamil Nadu has taken action to preserve the future breeding needs of Thodar buffaloes. They have initiated a freezing process to preserve the ova and sperm of these buffaloes. It is important to note that Thodar buffaloes are exclusive to the Nilgiri hills and cannot survive in other districts of Tamil Nadu or elsewhere in India due to unsuitable environmental conditions.
Traditionally, the Thodar community gives buffaloes as wedding gifts, a practice that holds great significance. However, as the buffalo population declines, the community fears that this cherished custom will soon vanish. To investigate the reasons behind the decline, BBC Tamil visited the Thodar community in their Nilgiri home.
Suchitra, a 24-year-old graduate and member of the Thodar community, explained the cultural importance of buffaloes in various rituals. Buffaloes are considered essential from birth to death, and a house without a buffalo is seen as unfortunate. Each buffalo is given a name and is considered a valuable asset. Suchitra expressed concern over the inheritance of buffaloes, stating that her grandmother received 25 buffaloes as dowry, while her father could only afford to give two per person to her sisters on their wedding day.
The decline in buffalo population is primarily attributed to encroachment upon public grasslands in the Nilgiris by human settlements and amusement parks. As the grasslands shrink, the buffaloes face a scarcity of food, resulting in a decline in fertility rates. Figures from the Tamil Nadu Government’s Animal Husbandry Ministry indicate that the number of Thodar buffaloes has decreased by half since 1994, with only 1,600 remaining in 2023.
The Animal Husbandry Department of Tamil Nadu is actively addressing the issue by providing training to Todar youth and entrepreneurs on providing nutritious food for the buffaloes. Additionally, they have preserved frozen eggs and sperm for future breeding efforts. Moreover, efforts by environmental activists to cultivate grasslands and native vegetation are underway to support the buffaloes’ nutritional needs.
The potential extinction of Thodar buffaloes not only affects the ecological balance in the Nilgiris but also jeopardizes the cultural identity of the Todar community. Sacrificing buffaloes for funeral rituals has already dwindled, highlighting the urgent need to protect these animals for the sake of preserving their heritage.
Nilgiri District Collector Amrit has confirmed that measures are being taken to recover encroached grasslands and has allocated a special fund for the conservation of Thodar buffaloes. As a part of their breeding program, they currently rear 30 Thodar buffaloes in a farm with the frozen eggs and sperm acting as a safeguard against extinction.
Environmental activists, such as Tarun Chapra, have also been cultivating grass plants on donated land to create more suitable habitats for the Thodar buffaloes. However, they stress the importance of embracing native vegetation as opposed to foreign grasses that do not retain rainwater and do not serve as nutritious food for the buffaloes.
The Todar community remains hopeful that their efforts, along with government initiatives and community support, will help revive the population of Thodar buffaloes and safeguard their cultural heritage for generations to come.