Tourism
of Goa
Wildlife
in GoaProtecting
The Legacy of Nature
The rugged western ghats make it an ideal
haven for many species of birds and animals and also provide a corridor for
migration. The western ghats called the Sahyadris in Goa, extend for a total
of 600kms in Goa of their total length of 3702 kms.
The widest
belt of forests along the western ghats is in Goa and neighbouring Karnataka
state. The high rainfall accounts for this because the elevation of the
mountain range here is lower.
The coastal areas on the other hand,
provide the tropical backdrop. There are several plants and trees unique to
Goa and some introduced by the Portuguese, most famous of which is the green
Chilies, which today has become an essential ingredient in the Indian Curry.
The
tropical location of Goa is responsible for its warm humid climate and
laterite and lateritic Clayey-loamy soil. The mean temperature even in the
coldest month is over 20 degrees centigrade.
Average rainfall is
over 500mm along the western ghats and a little less elsewhere. The length
of the dry season averages from 5 to 6 months. For all these reasons, the
dominant vegetation is of the moist decidous type.
Goa is endowed
with over 1512 documented species of plants, over 275 genera of birds, over
48 genera of animals and over 60 genera of reptiles.
About 10% of
Goa is set aside as wildlife reserve and this area includes four large
wildlife sanctuaries.
Click on the Wildlife
Sanctuaries below to view the details:
Bondla
Wildlife Sanctuary: 38 kms from Margao is the smaller of the
three wildlife sanctuaries of Goa - the Bondla Wildlife Sanctuary.
Bhagvan
Mahavir Wildlife Sanctuary: The Bhagwan Mahavir Wildlife
Sanctuary is located in the Goan town of Mollem.
Salim
Ali Bird Sanctuary: This is Goa's only bird sanctuary, 1.8 Sq
Km in area. A variety of local and migratory birds can be found on this
island.
Cotigao
Wildlife Sanctuary: If one wants to see multi-storeyed forests
with tall trees and rare plants, where hardly any light reaches the ground,
Cotigao Sanctuary is the place to go to.
