“It’s moving beyond iconic megafauna like elephants and tigers to focus on fragile yet vital species that play a crucial role in maintaining ecological balance,” Supriya Sahu, secretary of environment, climate change and forest department, had said.

The Lion-Tailed Macaque (Rs 48.50 lakh allocated), an endangered primate endemic to the Western Ghats, survives in fragmented forest patches with highly restricted distribution. The Madras Hedgehog (Rs 20.50 lakh allocated), nocturnal and cryptic in its lifestyle, is found in semi-arid landscapes of TN, Andhra Pradesh, and Kerala. It remains understudied and unprotected.

The Striped Hyena (Rs 14 lakh allocated) is a natural scavenger that plays a critical role in regulating diseases but is facing rapid decline in the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve landscape. The Hump-Headed Mahseer (Rs 17 lakh allocated), once abundant in the Moyar River, is now critically endangered due to dam construction, destructive fishing practices, pollution, and invasive species introduction.

The fund will support activities such as habitat monitoring, long-term population studies, setting up of conservation breeding centres, and ecological surveys. Special interventions include canopy bridges for macaques to ensure forest connectivity, targeted awareness and education programs for schools and communities, signages in vulnerable areas, and training of frontline forest staff.