A highly-decomposed carcass of a tiger was discovered inside a private forest in Sacorda, located just a few meters from the Bhagwan Mahavir Wildlife Sanctuary, on Saturday. The find was made by a nature enthusiast conducting routine research in the area, who immediately alerted the forest department.
The site where the carcass was found falls under the Collem forest range. Deputy Conservator of Forests for the North Goa division, Jiss Varkey, along with forest staff from the Collem range, visited the location. Upon inspection, forest officials found the completely decomposed remains, including a few bones, skin, and other body parts scattered across three separate spots. Preliminary observations suggest that the tiger may have been dead for more than two weeks.
Varkey informed the Times of India that the department has reported the death to the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA). “We will follow the guidelines of the NTCA, Bengaluru, to investigate the death of the tiger,” he stated.
A panchnama was conducted in the presence of a veterinary doctor, and it is suspected that scavengers may have attacked the dead tiger. However, Varkey emphasized that the exact cause of death will only be determined after the forensic report is received. Official data indicates that between 2009 and now, six tiger deaths have been recorded in Goa.
Residents of Sacorda reported that over the past month, they had sensed the presence of a tiger in the area. Meanwhile, the all-India tiger estimation (AITE) is currently underway in Goa as part of the nationwide three-phase survey aimed at estimating tiger populations and their habitats.
In a related development, the Supreme Court is reviewing a recommendation by the central empowered committee (CEC) to create a 468.6-square-kilometer tiger reserve in the state. Goa has opposed this proposal, citing the potential risk of relocating nearly one lakh residents. The state has argued before the Supreme Court that tigers are transient visitors to Goa and not permanent residents.
