More striped sightings at Goa’s Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary with camera traps

A sighting of a tigress with her two cubs at Mhadei Wildlife sanctuary, after a tiger sighting at Bhagwan Mahaveer National Park at Mollem, has given a fillip to sanctuary officials’ efforts to track and protect our endangered tigers

After the recent sighting of a tiger at Bhagwan Mahaveer National Park, a tigress with her two cubs was spotted, at Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary at Satre village, Sattari Taluka, near Sheepyachi Kond on May 14.    

According to a report in The Times of India, the tigress and her two cubs were spotted in an inaccessible area on the bank of the tributary of the Nanoda river in the sanctuary.

Speaking to the Times of India, Range Forest Officer, Suhas Naik said, “The tigress was seen around 9.24pm on May 14.  She must have come here along with her cubs to drink water.”

Further according to this source, there are 25 motion-sensor cameras installed in the sanctuary and photographic evidence of tiger sightings by the Wildlife division of the Forest department have been recorded since 2013.  In 2017, a tigress and her two cubs were captured by these cameras by then RFO, Prakash Salelkar.

In another statement to the Times of India, RFO, Suhas Naik explained, “The area where the images of the tiger and cubs were captured from is a remote part of the jungle. This area also has sloth bears among other wild animals which have also been photographed.” He also stated that on Monday when the team visited the site they were only able to get black and white and images as the camera was partially functioning due to technical difficulties.

While wildlife sanctuary officials are reportedly elated at the success of tracking these wild animals, it is hoped that more steps will be taken to protect these animals.  This photographic evidence is also a boost for those who have long been proposing for this area to be declared a tiger sanctuary.

Wildlife, Chandrakant Shinde, who frequently visits the area said, “This is a clear indication that the area is a natural habitat of the tiger and there is the need for the Forest department to take necessary steps for their protection.”

RFO, Suhas Naik applauded the efforts of the staff of the sanctuary in protecting the sanctuary and the wild animals, particularly round Forrester, Uttam Naik; Forest Officer, Sameer Desai; Trecker Pandurang Gavkar and Narayan Bhatkar. 

Image Source: The Goan | Prudent Media