MARGAO: The Loliem-Polem village panchayat has urged the Forest Department to address the recent tiger incidents in the Pedem area. Sarpanch Nisha Chari, in her letter with the department, said the residents of Pedem are in a state of shock, as a tiger has been straying into human settlement and attacking cows, goats and dogs.
“The villagers are afraid to move in the village after dusk due to the presence of the tiger and their agricultural activities and other routine works have been disturbed,” she added.
Villagers have emphasised the urgent need for action by the Forest Department and attributed these incidents to the rapid depletion of forest areas, disrupting the natural habitat for large animals.
Notably, Loliem-Polem is situated near the Cotigao Wildlife Sanctuary and approximately 100 kms from the Kali Tiger Reserve Forest in Karnataka.
Locals speculate that a tiger from the sanctuary might have strayed due to a lack of prey, a consequence of ongoing habitat degradation. Villagers often report sightings of gaurs, leopards, black panthers, bears, and other wildlife in the vicinity.
