PONDA: The discovery of a 15-day-old, highly decomposed tiger carcass in a private forest at Aglot-Sancorda on Saturday has reignited the fierce debate over tiger conservation and the notification of a Tiger Reserve in Goa. While forest officials have preliminary ruled out foul play, noted environmentalist Rajendra Kerkar has demanded a thorough investigation, citing Goa’s history of tiger “poisoning and trapping.”
The carcass was found scattered across multiple locations in a private jungle area (Survey No. 52) on the outskirts of the Bhagwan Mahavir Wildlife Sanctuary. Due to the advanced state of decomposition, several body parts, including teeth and nails, were reportedly missing or detached, leading to initial concerns regarding poaching.
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Deputy Conservator of Forests (DCF) Jiss Varkey stated that, prima facie, the death appears natural. “The area has been combed and no evidence of foul play or traps was found. In such a highly decomposed state, it is natural for teeth to fall out and for predators to have scattered the remains,” Verkey said. He added that the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) will be informed, and a veterinary examination will be conducted before the remains are disposed of.
Environmentalist Rajendra Kerkar, who visited the site on Saturday morning, pointed out that this marks the sixth tiger death in Goa across three major incidents since 2009. He recalled the 2009 trapping in Kerim and the 2020 poisoning of four tigers in Guleli.
“This is a sad day for Goa’s wildlife. This sixth death is indisputable proof of tiger existence in our forests—a fact even PM Narendra Modi confirmed in the 2022 survey,” Kerkar said.
He slammed the State government for its “deaf and blind” approach to the High Court’s earlier directions to notify a Tiger Reserve, a matter currently pending in the Supreme Court.
Kerkar has urged forest officials to comb the entire Aglot region for wire snares or traps. “While it is difficult to determine the cause of death after 15 days, we cannot ignore the possibility of a trap. The government continues to ignore the tiger issue while our national animal faces a ‘tough situation’ in Goa’s private forests,” he added.
