KERI
: Forest officials in
Maharashtra and
Karnataka have confirmed the presence of tigers in the Mhadei region after a tiger census was recently carried out by the Goa forest department.
Range forest officer, Bhimgad Wildlife Sanctuary, Karnataka, Shivanand Magdum, said, "During the recent tiger census, we found scats, pugmarks and other evidences of the presence of the big cat. We have compiled the data and sent it to the Wildlife Institute of India. After receiving information about tiger presence, we have installed camera traps. When these camera traps will be removed by May 30, we will get more evidence."
Range forest officer, Kankumbi Forest Range, Kavitha, said, "We have obtained various evidences of the tiger in the villages of Chorla and Parwad in Karnataka in the vicinity of the Mhadei sanctuary."
During the tiger census of 2014 in the Bhimgad Wildlife Sanctuary, the presence of five tigers was found. The National Wildlife Survey, conducted in 2015, revealed the presence of seven tigers. But, as per pugmarks and photographs, forest officials at Bhimgad had confirmed the presence of 12 tigers in December 2017 in the Mhadei region of Karnataka starting from Dongargao, Shiroli, Pastoli, Kongla, Chapoli, Amgao, Chikhale, Chapgao till Chorla.
Forest officials in Maharashtra have also obtained evidence of tigers in the Tillari valley region adjacent to the Mhadei forest. Girish Punjabi, the conservation researcher who had studied tiger movement in the Tillari, says, "Tillari supports a fair density of large, herbivorous animals. Together with Mhadei and Bhimgad, they form a habitat that is important for conservation of tigers." Malhar Indulkar, a wildlifer from Dodamarg region, said, "During my visit to the Tillari region this summer, we found pugmarks of the male adult tiger in the grassland of Kendre and other evidences of the presence of tigers."
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