TEAM HERALD
PANJIM Goa Forest Department has finally admitted to the presence of tigers in the state.. The Forest. Department is currently undertaking tiger census in the state to ascertain the existence of wild cat and the same would continue till 2017.
In a news bulletin released on Friday morning, the forest department has said that during the wildlife census conducted from April 21 to 26 this year, presence of tigers was noted through pug marks in few areas. “In one area, a leopard with cubs was also sighted,” the news reads adding that the census carried out by the Forest Department and the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), Dehradun, has assessed the wild animal and their habitat.
The state forest department had earlier conducted such census during 2002, 2006 and in 2010. Though, forest department failed to get the result of 2006 census, the 2010 census saw the presence of five tigers in Goa’s wild, with an increase in the number of leopards and wild dogs.
Under pressure from environmentalists, the department had in 2013 conducted special tiger survey to ascertain their presence. Though, the survey revealed the presence of tiger, the department was not satisfied with the result to go ahead and declare Mhadei wildlife sanctuary as tiger reserve. However, Environment Minister Alina Saldanha is on record saying that state would be in position to declare any of its sanctuaries as tiger reserve only after the census ends.
