Update on Tamil Nadu’s endangered species fund 2025
May 24 , 2025 16 hrs 0 min 39 0
Tamil Nadu Endangered Species Conservation Fund was announced in 2024 with an initial corpus of ₹50 crore.
It was initially set to be managed by the State Forest Development Agency (SFDA)
After the Tamil Nadu Forest Department’s plan hit a obstruction, it has been decided to reroute the funds through a different institution.
In November 2024, the SFDA was designated as the managing agency for the fund.
It was to be initially overseen by the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve Foundation.
The corpus of ₹50 crore was to be held by the Tamil Nadu Power Finance Corporation or the Tamil Nadu Transport Development Finance Corporation until further arrangements were made.
The State Forest Department has now decided to transfer the responsibility of managing the fund to the Advanced Institute of Wildlife Conservation (AIWC) in Vandalur.
It is an institution known for its research and initiatives in wildlife conservation, which has been recently registered as a society.
AIWC is expected to invite grant proposals for research on endangered species in the State.
It will be including Salim Ali’s fruit bat, Malabar Civet, White-rumped vulture, Nilgiris wart frog, White-spotted bush frog, and Anamalai flying frog.