Western Ghats in Karnataka, Goa need to be upgraded as Tiger Reserve area

The contiguous forests spread across the Western Ghats belt of Karnataka and Goa need to be brought under the Tiger Reserve network at the earliest, because it has the potential to increase overall tiger population, according National Tiger Conservation Authority.

The Authority, which was tasked with a probe into the death of four tigers in Goa's Mahadayi Wildlife Sanctuary last month, has also called for urgent steps to be taken in Goa for better management of its protected areas, failing which they turn out to be "death traps" for tigers.

"Within the Western Ghat landscape complex, Goa along with the Northern Karnataka region has the potential to increase overall tiger population numbers by providing targeted management inputs to the PA s of the region," says an NTCA report authored by Rajendra Garawad, an Assistant Inspector General of Forests, who was a member of the team which probed the tiger deaths in Goa.

"...the protected areas of Goa along with protected forests of Karnataka should be brought under Tiger Reserve network at the earliest for facilitating tiger recovery and for conserving the rich biodiversity of this biodiversity hot-spot which will also enhance the value of Western Ghats as a (UNESCO-endorsed) World Heritage Site," the report also said.

Four tribals living within the jurisdiction of the Goa wildlife sanctuary were arrested for poisoning four tigers to death in January, after the apex predator killed a cow and a buffalo belonging to the accused.

The Mahadayi Wildlife Sanctuary is connected to the larger tiger landscape of Karnataka comprising Kali Tiger Reserve, Bhimgarh Wildlife Sanctuary to the east and Bhagwan Mahavir National Park.

The report has also indicted the Goa government's Forest Department for mismanagement of the state's protected areas.

"Without upgrading the legal status of Goa's Protected Areas to that of tiger reserve and putting in place a strong protection regime in place, the state may become death trap for tigers dispersing in this landscape," the report said.

"According to wildlife activists who prefer to be anonymous, presence of tigers inside Mhadei WLS is a well known and documented fact which is reluctantly accepted by the Goa Forest Department. They allege that over the years, the Forest Department has not taken any serious and sincere steps for protection and conservation of tigers," it says.

"Without up-grading the legal status of Goa's Protected Areas to that of tiger reserve and putting in place a strong protection regime in place, the state may become death trap for tigers dispersing in this landscape," it also said.