TEAM HERALD
bureau@herald-goa.com
BELGAUM: Officials of forest department here have spotted a tiger in the jungles bordering Goa and Khanapur with the help of high pixel cameras that were installed in different parts of the forests between Belgaum and Goa lying within Bhimgarh area.
The cameras have helped the department to know the movements of wildlife in Khanapur jungles along the Bhimgarh Wildlife Sanctuary, among which few are rare species like Black Panther, a fully grown healthy adult.
Moreover, presence of the Great Indian Tiger is also confirmed by the cameras as photographs of Indian wild dogs, bears, bisons and other wild animals have also been captured by these cameras.
The forest officials told Herald that the department has constructed several tanks in deep woods so that these wild animals do not cross their habitat for water, while the cameras keep an eye in deep woods to ensure safety of both the wildlife and the poachers.
Twelve cameras were installed during the tenure of former Deputy Conservator of Forests Girish Hosur in February 2012. Apart from monitoring round-the-clock movement of both humans and animals, cameras also helped in tracking the trespassers and poachers. “The sensor of the high pixel cameras senses the slightest movements within the range of 50 feet radius, capturing any movement within a flash second with a 15 seconds pause,” informed Deputy Conservator of Forests Ambady Madhav.
Madhav further said the guards of respective forest beats, in which the cameras are installed, checks it after every 8 days and if needed, changes the location of the cameras.
Meanwhile, the environmentalists have hailed the move by the Belgaum forest department to install cameras and to construct tanks in the forests. They have urged the need for more such efforts from neighbouring states of Goa and Maharashtra.
