Captive breeding comes to the rescue of Toda buffalo as its population plummets in Nilgiris

Officials say that the population ranged from 15,000 to 20,000 across the district a few decades ago. But a 2023 enumeration of the buffaloes in all Toda hamlets revealed that less than 1,000 animals were left. Hence, the Sheep Breeding Research Station at Sandynallah has begun a programme to help the population re-establish itself in the hills