Sep 2019
�� Neelagiri Cheruvan
��
If you go to Ootty and ask anyone about �� Naai Siruthai, they
will immediately tell you about
what it is. Many, including children have seen it, all over
Nilgiris. They will tell you that Naai
Siruthai comes in the night to catch their dogs, but it also
look almost like a dog, but little
different.
So what is Naai Siruthai ? Is it Neelagiri Kaduva ? The answer
is No.
�� Each and every person in Ootty knows about Naai Siruthai
( Except Forest Department and
Wildlife Enthusiasts in Ootty, who mistakenly thought that Naai
Siruthai was only Leopard ).
�� I have named it Neelagiri Cheruvan, as it has different names
in Tamil Nadu, Kerala and
Karnataka; the three places where I Discovered it, as a common
name is very essential, For
Conservation purposes.
�� I have been informed that some rare night pictures of Neelagiri
Cheruvan came in News
papers, if any of you have seen it, please message me, till
I message you back. ��
❤ I have Released the First ever News of Neelagiri Cheruvan
in the World, in Ootty in September
2019, as the Largest Population of Neelagiri Cheruvan exists
in the Nilgiris in Tamil Nadu.
◼ Dina Thanthi, Largest Circulated News Paper in Tamil Nadu,
Report on Neelagiri Cheruvan on
21 Sep 2019
Neelagiri Cheruvan is much smaller than Neelagiri Kaduva, which
is as Big as Tiger.
Neelagiri Cheruvan has a face similar to that of Neelagiri Kaduva
or a Dog.
Neelagiri Cheruvan is only little more Bigger than a Dog.
◼ Appearance: Neelagiri Cheruvan has closest resemblance to
German Shepherd, than any
other dog Species. Observe the slanting of the body, towards
the back.
It is upto about 1 feet longer than ordinary dogs.
The face of Neelagiri Cheruvan is Longer and Bigger than ordinary
Dogs.
▪Color: Mix of Grey and light Brown ( pale yellow ).
It therefore, according to some, look like “Black & White”.
�� Neelagiri Cheruvan’s main prey is Dog.
.....................................................................................
▪Where?: Wayanad, Ootty, Kodaikanal, Munnar, Bangalore
Date of First hearing : 2015
Discovery & Confirmation date : 2016
Discovery in Ooty: 2018
Colloquial Names:
Wayanad: Patti Puli [Dog Leopard]
Ootty: Naai Siruthai [Dog Leopard]
Munnar: Pohayan
Neelagiri Cheruvan is much smaller than Neelagiri Kaduva,
which is as Big as Tiger.
Neelagiri Cheruvan has a face similar to that of Neelagiri
Kaduva or a Dog.
Neelagiri Cheruvan is only little more Bigger than
a Dog.
Neelagiri Cheruvan’s main prey is Dog.
Where?: Wayanad, Ootty, Munnar, Bangalore
Color: Grey. It therefore, according to some,
look like “Black & White”.
But some could be pale yellow or brown also.
Date of First hearing : 2015
Discovery & Confirmation date : 2017
Discovery in Ooty: 2018
Colloquial Names:
Wayanad: Patti Puli [Dog Leopard]
Ootty: Naai Siruthai [Dog Leopard]
Munnar: Pohayan
Bangalore : Madka [for both Neelagiri Kaduva & Neelagiri
Cheruvan ] – Seer naai
The Largest population of Neelagiri Cheruvan occurs
in Ooty & Nilgiris , which I estimate to be about 10 – 15.
Here Neelagiri Kaduva does not exist.
Only in Wayanad & Bangalore does both Neelagiri Kaduva
& Neelagiri Cheruvan exists in a single locality.
Astonishing Tactics of Neelagiri Cheruvan to catch
a Dog!
As Neelagiri Cheruvan is not much Bigger than a Dog, it is
difficult for it to hunt a dog down. Therefore it uses a special
tactics to catch a Dog.
Neelagiri Cheruvan will bark like a dog. Hearing it the dog
will rush to intercept the new “dog” that have invaded its territory.
When the dog gets near Neelagiri Cheruvan will attack and catch
the dog.
Dijo Thomas
solves the Mystery of Pohayan in Munnar, which is Acknoledged
by Kerala Forest Department and is in their Official Records
!!
BBC had Telecasted a Documentory
on Pohayan in Munnar !
Finally that Mystery is Solved
by Dijo Thomas !
Is Pohayan in Munnar Neelagiri Kaduva? Many had asked me. But
I had replied in the negative. Pohayan is known only to be a
little bigger than a dog.
In 2014, during my first discovery of Neelagiri Kaduva, when
Sri Joseph IFS, then Director of Thiruvananthapuram Museum saw
Cub of Neelagiri Kaduva [which was attacked by the mob &
killed (http://rarewildlife.org/NeelagiriKaduva-Cub.htm)] he
told me & Dr. Jacob Alexander that it could be Pohayan.
But I told him that it was not Pohayan but Patti Kaduva (Colloquial
Name of Neelagiri Kaduva ).
Dijo Thomas did a research on Neelagiri Cheruvan in Wayanad,
Ootty, Munnar etc. and found it to be a Second Species
[ and NOT a Sub-Species ] in Neelagiri Kaduva Family !
He Declaired this Species after a study of 5 Years in 2019.
Neelagiri Cheruvan is the Pohayan in Munnar!
It could have got the name Pohayan [Smoke], because of its
grey color.
Dijo Thomas
WildlifeScientist.com
The common perception about Mysterious Pohayan is that it is a
Medium sized
Wild Cat. But it is Not.
The perception about Pohayan that it is Medium sized is Correct.
But it doesn't belong to either
Dog or Cat Families.
It belongs to Neelagiri Kaduva Family, but only about 1 feet
bigger than an ordinary dog.
.............
▪. When I say Dogs are the Main Prey of Neelagiri Cheruvan,
it Doesn't mean that
it is the only Main prey.
1. There are other Main Prey like Rabbits, small Wild pigs,
small deers etc.
Canids are available in the Forests also.
2. Foxes and small Jackals, both belonging to Canidae Family,
could be another favorite prey,
abundant in the Forests.
3. Dholes, another Canid, are another possibility, abundant
in South Indian Forests, though it
would be very difficult for Neelagiri Cheruvan to hunt Wild
Dogs, as they hunt and live as well
organized Jungle Army. But their Cubs could be an easy prey.
◼ My Conclusion, Among the many Main Reasons, on why the Numbers
of Neelagiri Kaduva
and Neelagiri Cheruvan is very Less, is that, Many of them are
being Killed, when they try to Hunt
a Dhole. As it is Extremely Dangerous to hunt them, as I have
observed that they are Very Well
Organized, and they hunt in very large packs of 20 to 30 individual.
▪There is a Recorded case of Dholes killing a Tiger in Kerala,
some Years back.
Neelagiri Cheruvan – Dina Thanthi – 21Sep19
|
Donate-4-Conservation
Dijo Thomas
