Caught on camera, but tiger presence still under debate

Tiger reserve or no tiger reserve, sightings continue in Goa’s protected areas despite ongoing debates about whether these tigers are permanent residents or part of a moving population between the Western Ghats shared with Karnataka and Maharashtra.The 2022 central tiger census confirmed the presence of five tigers in the state’s forests.Wildlife enthusiast Chandrakant Shinde recently spotted a tigress and her cub in the forested areas of Parwad bordering Satre in the Mhadei wildlife sanctuary.“I was enthralled to see the tigress along with her cub walking majestically in the forest. We have ample documentation of tigers attacking domestic livestock in and around the Mhadei wildlife sanctuary.

On earlier occasions, camera traps installed by the Wildlife Division of Goa’s forest department have proven the presence of the big cats without doubt.”

In Jan 2020, four tigers, including two cubs, were found dead inside the Mhadei wildlife sanctuary in Sattari.Another sighting occurred in July when Siddhesh Gawas from Shiroli, Sattari, spotted an adult tiger while returning from Kankumbi. “It was an unforgettable moment for me to see a tiger from the entrance of Rameshwar temple near the road in Chorla.

Our region has been known for the tiger’s presence for a long time,” said Gawas.Tiger worship has been part of Goa’s folk culture for generations, pre-dating the first official acknowledgment of two tigers in the state forest department census of 1989.Conservation experts criticize Goa forest officials for not using advanced tracking methods like radio collars, which are commonly used in other tiger habitats across India.“The fact that cubs had been captured on camera means that it is turning out to be a good habitat for tigers, good enough for the tigress to litter. It is common in such situations for the tigress to feed on cattle. Today, advanced technologies are available, using which forest officials should mark the tiger’s path and alert villagers,” said a conservationist from Nagpur.