There must be sustained pressure on the govt to implement CEC recommendations
The discovery of a decomposed tiger carcass in the forests of Sacorda in Dharbandora taluka has once again indicated the presence of tigers in Goa and has intensified the debate over tiger conservation in the state.
The location where the carcass was found is also significant. It lies in the Kushavati region, considered a corridor linking the Bhagwan Mahavir Wildlife Sanctuary to the Kali Tiger Reserve in Karnataka. In the past, tiger presence has also been recorded in the Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary area. In July 2023, the Bombay High Court at Goa directed the state government to notify the Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary and surrounding areas as a tiger reserve within three months. The state government challenged the order, and the matter is presently in court. The carcass has raised questions over the government’s argument that tigers are only transient visitors and not residents.
The government has often spoken about the need to protect people who have settled in the periphery of wildlife sanctuary areas, particularly around Mhadei. Over the years, major political parties have extended support to these communities. There has been little political backing for a tiger reserve, as it is seen as not aligning with vote-bank considerations. For a decade now, concern for Goa’s environment has largely remained on paper. It was due to then Governor Lt Gen J F R Jacob (Retd), with support from pro-wildlife bureaucrats, that the Mhadei and Netravali Wildlife Sanctuaries were notified in 1999 during President’s Rule. Otherwise, given the pace of development in the hinterlands in recent years, the government might have already announced “first of its kind” projects within sanctuary areas.
The cause of the tiger’s death has not yet been ascertained. A forest officer, hours after the discovery, indicated that the big cat may have died of natural causes, as no visible snares were found. However, the decomposed condition of the carcass has made forensic analysis difficult. It is the fifth recorded tiger death since 2019 and the sixth since 2009. These are only the cases that have been officially recorded. Even if the death is assumed to be natural, it raises concern. A tiger dying due to starvation or territorial conflict indicates a shrinking prey base or fragmented habitat. The incident cannot be treated as an isolated case. If cattle have disappeared, as claimed by a resident, the authorities should investigate immediately and provide adequate compensation so that the tiger is not viewed as an enemy. Four tigers were poisoned to death by cattle farmers, and their carcasses were found in early January 2020 in Golavli, Sattari.
What next? Until the government implements the recommendations of the Centrally Empowered Committee, several measures can be undertaken for wildlife protection. The committee has recently recommended a phased approach to establishing a tiger reserve in Goa to balance conservation with human presence.
The Forest Department needs to move from a “guarding” approach to a “monitoring” approach. This requires strengthening M-STrIPES (Monitoring System for Tigers – Intensive Protection and Ecological Surveillance) patrolling. A denser camera trap network should be installed. As per NTCA guidelines, the Forest Department must form anti-poaching squads. NGOs and wildlife enthusiasts also need to play an active role in creating a coordinated local network for tiger conservation. There must also be sustained pressure on the government to implement the CEC recommendations.
