PANAJI
An expert committee led by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) on Sunday evening conducted a post-mortem on the highly decomposed tiger carcass recovered from the forests of Sacorda in Dharbandora.
The committee, comprising NTCA officials, state forest personnel and veterinary doctors, carried out the examination to determine the cause of death. The carcass, found at Aalot near the Bhagwan Mahavir Wildlife Sanctuary, has been shifted to the Mollem campsite.
Deputy Conservator of Forests Jiss Varkey said the exact cause of death will be known only after the post-mortem report is received. “Prima facie, there is no suspicion of foul play. It appears to be a natural death,” he said.
A panchnama conducted on Saturday in the presence of veterinary experts indicated that the carcass had been partially eaten by scavengers. During the inspection, it was also noted that the tiger’s teeth and claws were missing.
Varkey added that the department is following all protocols laid down by the NTCA and that the authority was immediately informed after the carcass was discovered.
Goa has witnessed a series of tiger deaths in the past. In 2020, five tigers-an adult female and her four sub-adult cubs were found poisoned in the forests of Sattari taluka. The state had earlier recorded its first tiger killing case in 2009.
In its report on the 2020 deaths, the NTCA had warned that failure to notify a tiger reserve in Goa could turn the state into a “death trap for tigers.” The authority has repeatedly recommended the declaration of a tiger reserve in the state.
Last year, the Central Empowered Committee (CEC) of the Supreme Court of India proposed notifying a tiger reserve over 468.60 sq km of protected forest in the first phase. The matter remains pending before the apex court.
