Mhadei tiger unique to Goa, claims expert May 2, 2013 Glenn Costa glennco...@herald-goa.com
PANJIM: The verdict is out! At long last, Goa can authoritatively pride itself as being home to its very own big cat - the majestic tiger. The 'stripe matching' of the Goan tiger was authenticated by a top tiger expert, authorities said. New Roman'; font-size: medium; text-align: justify;">Tiger stripes are unique, with each one like a fingerprint and identifies the stately animal. Dr K Ullas Karanth, a conservation zoologist and leading tiger expert based in Karnataka, who is working closely with the state on tigers, has confirmed to the Forest Department that the tiger that was photographed recently was unique to Goa and not part of any of the 600 tigers who live in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala. There are only approximately 1400 tigers left in the entire country, which had a large tiger population. "The stripes do not match (with tigers from other states). This is a new tiger," Richard D' Souza, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests told Herald, explaining that each tiger has a footprint that is unique. "The stripes are like a finger print," he said adding that the expert is doing a survey for the next four years - till 2017 - and he would be using a lot of cameras to find out if there are any new tigers. The Wildlife Census conducted by the Goa Forest Department had indicated the presence of three and five tigers respectively in 1993 and 1997. The last 2002 census estimated that there are five tigers in the tiny state. There have been consistent reports of pug marks, actual sightings, cattle carcasses and in 2009 the media carried extensive reports of a tiger killed in Keri-Sattari. In June 2011, the then Environment minister Jairam Ramesh had written to the Goa Chief Minister, Digambar Kamat, asking him to consider setting up a tiger reserve in the state. But till date nothing has been done, though in an apparent change of heart, the Forest Department has acknowledged that the majestic cat is a 'Goenkar.' Mhadei situated in Sattari taluka of North Goa and spread over 208 square kilometre is being mooted as a tiger reserve and though small, it is a contiguous tiger landscape to Bhimgad Wildlife Sanctuary in Karnataka in the south-east and Anshi Dandeli Tiger Reserve in the south. This contiguous area has 35 tigers according to the All India Tiger Estimate, 2010 "There is no tiger presence in Goa. If there are any tigers, they are only migratory. Goa's forests have no resident tigers," Dr Sashi kumar the then chief wildlife warden had told media when a tiger carcass was found in 2009. "The Status of Tigers, Co-Predators and Prey in India, 2008," by the Wildlife Institute of India have stated that areas in Goa and their contiguous forests in Karnataka and Maharashtra could possibly be some of the best potential tiger habitats in the Western Ghats region and that restoration, conservation and strict protection can and will support a healthy population of large cats in this region. The 2010 estimation report says that Goa can be home to a small breeding population of tigers that can be sustained by Anshi-Dandeli and Sahayadri, and would benefit from being part of the tiger reserve complex. However, more than one third of Goa's 90-odd operational open cast iron ore mines, including those run by the most powerful business families are close to the states wildlife sanctuaries, --Mhadei, Netravali and Bhagwan Mahaveer - and setting up a tiger reserve would entail a monitored implementation of all wildlife norms and thereby create problems for mining. Surla, Sattari, Bondla Wildlife Sanctuary, Molem National Park and Bhagwan Mahaveer Wildlife Sanctuary, Sanguem, Netravali Wildlife Sanctuary and Cotigao Wildlife Sanctuary - all forested - form a contiguous belt of primarily dense forest across Goa and connect the Western Ghats forests of Karnataka and Maharashtra. Goa's four wildlife sanctuaries are located on the eastern side of the state, in the Western Ghats, covering an area of about 750 km2 (290 square miles).The Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary and Bhagwan Mahaveer Sanctuary and Mollem National Park all fall within the Mhadei River basin. The Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary is located between 15° 48" 33' to 14° 53" 54' N and 74° 20" 13' to 73° 40" 33' E. The Mhadei River~ known downstream as the Mandovi River, the lifeline of the state of Goa~ originates in Karnataka, travels28.8 km (17.9 miles) in Karnataka, passes 9.4 km (5.8 miles) through the Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary and meets the Arabian Sea at Panjim after meandering for 81.2 km (50.5 miles) in Goa. http://oheraldo.in/News/Main%20Page%20News/Mhadei-tiger-unique-to-Goa-claims-expert/73957.html ~Avelino
