Location:
Canacona district, South Goa
Highlights: Watchtowers to view wildlife, Nature Interpretation
Center, varied wildlife
Best Time to Visit: October to March
How to Reach: One can hire local transport like a taxi or a bus
from Poinguinim, the nearest town that is 2 kilometers away.
The Cotigao wildlife sanctuary is located in the Canacona district in
south Goa. This sanctuary was established in the year 1969. It covers an
area of 86 square kilometers and is the second largest sanctuary in Goa.
To reach the Catigao national park, you will have to hire a vehicle of
your own and reach from nearby places in south Goa. One can watch the
animals from the 25 meter high watchtower that is located near the
Talpona River that flows through this sanctuary. The animals come to
this river often to quench their thirst and can be viewed around evening
or early morning. The sanctuary also houses a Nature Interpretation
Center that provides fascinating and valuable information about the
wildlife here.
Flora
The Cotigao sanctuary of Goa has a thick cover of vegetation. There are
basically three types of vegetation that is found over here that
includes moist deciduous (dominant vegetation), semi-evergreen and
evergreen forests. The lush and thick vegetation growth provides natural
shelter to a plethora of animal and bird species.
Fauna
The Cotigao wildlife sanctuary has numerous species of wild animals.
These species include sloth bears, deer, wild boars, panthers, laughing
hyenas and Indian Bisons. There also a number of bird species here, the
most popular ones to be spotted are Rufus Woodpecker, white-eyed eagle,
Malabar crested eagle, White bellied woodpecker, etc. Apart from animals
and birds, there are also a vast number of reptiles that include
poisonous and non-poisonous snakes.
