Tigers spotted in Goa are from Karnataka: Goa Minister

Goa does not have any resident tigers and the big cats spotted in Goa are originally from the forests of Karnataka, state Forest Minister Vishwajit Rane said on Friday.

Rane's comments come in wake of resistance by villagers residing in the Mhadei wildlife sanctuary, located in North Goa, who have opposed a tiger enumeration survey conducted by the state forest department.

"I have been hearing about the tiger for the last few days. The tiger enters Goa through a corridor before exiting (the state). There are no resident tigers. There is no need to set up a tiger reserve in Goa and as long as I am minister there is no question of a tiger reserve," Rane said in an interaction with media persons. The forest minister was asked about the government's position on upgrading the Mhadei wildlife sanctuary as a Tiger Reserve.

"We have not found a resident tiger in Goa. The information I have sourced from the forest department indicates that the tigers come in from Karnataka along the Mollem border, the Western Ghats serves as a natural corridor, and they exit. There is no resident tiger established in Goa. That is a fact," the forest minister said.

Tigers have not just been steeped in Goan mythology and folklore, but have also been a source of controversy over the last decade and more.

In 2009, one female tiger was virtually cut into half at the Mhadei wildlife sanctuary, after it got snared into a metal trap. Just two years ago, four tigers, including cubs were poisoned to death, resulting in a series of arrests in the same sanctuary.

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