The forest department in Goa has written to the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) for a proposal to assess wildlife in areas outside the protected areas in Goa to mitigate man-animal conflict. The proposed study will map conflict areas, identify vulnerable species and existing animal corridors and suggest mitigation measures.
This comes after two leopard deaths were reported in the month of April in the coastal state. A female black panther was killed after it was hit by an unidentified vehicle in Priol-Ponda range on April 27. Two days later, a two-year-old leopard, which strayed into a house in Sanguem’s Villian village near Netravali Wildlife Sanctuary and was rescued by the forest department officials, died of “internal injuries”.
In a letter addressed to the Director, Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun on July 10, Naveen Kumar, Conservator of Forests (Wildlife and Eco-Tourism) Goa said that due to high green cover across the state of Goa, wildlife is not only restricted to recorded forest areas, but it is predominantly present in all the areas adjacent to forested landscape — including human habitations.
“This pattern escalates human-animal conflict, reporting losses in both human life, property and wild animals. This alarming situation calls for a systematic study of all wildlife in the areas outside protected area in the state of Goa, which may include, but not limited, to mapping of conflict areas, existing animal corridors, vulnerability map for each of the species, potential threats and mitigation measures for each of the animals,” the letter said.
“It is requested that the Wildlife Institute of India may facilitate the Goa Forest Department with the preparation of a concept note including methodology in human-animal conflict resolution in the state of Goa. The financial implications to be incurred for the same may be communicated at the earliest for moving forward in the largest interest of wildlife conservation,” it added.
Kamal Datta, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, said, “We have written to the Wildlife Institute of India to do a systematic study to mitigate human-animal conflict.”
A forest department official said: “There has never been a systematic assessment of wildlife in the state [outside protected area]. The Census which is conducted is limited to protected areas. Considering the forest cover in Goa is more than 60 percent of the state’s geographical area, the wildlife population will not be restricted to the protected area only.
