Need of the Hour : Creation of Tiger Reserve in Goa!

Goa has 700 sq. km Western Ghats with six wildlife sanctuaries and one National Park, having the richest and luxuriant forest cover with the varied species of flora and fauna. On April 13, 2009 at Vadyer, in the cashew plantation of Keri –Sattari, at the foothills of Vagheri, the hill of Sahyadri known to be the abode of tiger, proved beyond doubt that tigers are there in Goa.

The Wildlife Census conducted by Goa Forest Department in 1993 indicated the presence of three tigers, in 1997 five tigers and in the last census of 2002 four tigers have been reported . The government, having nexus with the powerful mining lobby, have purposefully failed in providing protection to tigers by not recognizing the notifications of the Mhadei and Netravali wildlife sanctuaries issued in June 1999. The book, a framework for identifying high priority areas and action for the conservation of tigers in the wild by WWF International, US Fish and Wildlife Services and Wildlife Conservation Society – New York, lists the Western Ghats areas in Goa, Maharashtra and Karnataka as a level 1 Tiger Conservation Unit with 55 points, second in India after Sunderbans (65 points) and 8th in the world as the finest Tiger habitats in the entire world.

Pugmark of tiger in Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary

There are many places in Goa named after tigers which clearly indicate the presence of tigers in the area. These areas are: Vagus (Usgao), Vagal (Keri-Ponda), Vagali (Kamurli), Vaghdongari (Shiroda), Vagapeth (Satore, Shiroda), Vagus (Pale), Vaghurme (Savoi-verem), Vaghkolomb (Harmal), Vaghator (Caisua), Vaghapeth (Bori), Vagheri (Sattari), Vaghapedi (Bhati – Sanguem), Vagbil (Pali-Sattari), Vaghpet (Satre – Sattari).

In 2016, Goa government headed by then Chief minister Laxmikant Parsekar in the meeting of Goa State Wildlife Advisory Board took the decision of declaring the tiger reserve in Goa. However, the successive governments that came to the power, did not give necessary nod to the proposal and inspite of the recommendation made by the National Tiger Conservation Authority, idea of creating tiger reserve for Goa, is pending.

Presently, the Forest Minister Vishwajit Rane, made it clear that as long as he holds the portfolio, he will not allow the tiger reserve to be materialised in Goa, at the cost creating inconveniences to the forest dwelling communities residing in the areas.

First Camera trapped image of Tiger in Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary

Since, 43 percent of the state rely on the Mandovi river basin for drinking water, and irrigation and other basic needs, protecting and conserving the forest through the creation of Goa Tiger Reserve, is the need of the hour. During the COVID-19, people throughout the world realised the importance of life saving Oxygen. The forest of the six wildlife sanctuaries and one national park along with the rich patches of the reserved and privately owned forest, is indeed providing perennially drinking water and oxygen needed for our survival. If we allow these patches of the forest for development purposes without understanding the ecological and environmental values of it, in the era of climate change and global warming, our life and livelihood will be threatened.

Killing of five tigers from 2009 to 2020, revealed that forests in Goa, is becoming more and more hostile to the tigers and other wild animals and it is high time that, forgetting differences on the basis of caste, religion, political affiliation, we should plan the strategy for providing long term legal protection to the wildlife habitat in Goa, by looking sympathetically to the genuine issues of the local population.

Author:

Rajendra P Kerkar