Goa creates new identity as ‘tiger range state’

Panaji, April 14: Goa is a ‘tiger range state’, admits the State Forest Department while processing to identify certain core pockets of the Western Ghat region, covering the protected areas of Mhadei, Mollem, and Netravali wildlife sanctuaries, as a tiger reserve.

The department is working on a map that will specify areas that could be declared as a tiger reserve. In a socio-economic study conducted recently by the department along the Western Ghats region, with wildlife sanctuaries like Mhadei, Mollem, Netravali, and Cotigao being the focus areas of the study The State government will also go for rehabilitation of the settlements once the areas are declared as tiger reserves, provided those living there volunteer for rehabilitation

The department will also conduct a fresh tiger census in the State’s wilds beginning April end.

Ajai Saxena, Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (PCCF), said that Goa is a tiger range state, where tigers are found but it does not have any tiger reserves declared yet. “During the last tiger census 2013, there was no direct evidence with us, but in 2016 and in 2017, camera traps helped us to get direct sightings,” he said.

Saxena said there are frequent tiger sightings along the Goa-Maharashtra border areas like Chorla Ghat. “Tiger density in a tropical forest is inherently low. But still, we are sure that there is possible presence of the wild cat in the areas like Mollem, Netravali, Mhadei, and Cotigao,” he said.

PCCF said that the department will soon come up with a detailed map, zeroing upon the core areas in the Western Ghat region that could be declared as tiger reserves. “Our tiger census, which will be held from April end, will also focus on the entire Western Ghat region covering Goa,” he explained.

The proposal would be placed before the State Wildlife Board headed by CM Manohar Parrikar for a nod and then forwarded to the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) for final approval and funding.

In 2011, the Union Environment Ministry had written to the State to consider proposing the Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary as a tiger reserve. The government’s failure to act, forced the Ministry to send another reminder in 2014.