View source for Flora and fauna of Goa

{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}}
[[File:Mangrove mudskipper.JPG|thumb|Mangrove mudskipper in the Salim Ali bird sanctuary.]]
[[File:India Goa Chapora River Colony of Birds.jpg|thumb|Colony of Birds by the Chapxxx
a River]]
[[Forest cover]] in [[Goa]] is diverse.  Goa is [[India]]'s smallest state terms of area and the fourth smallest in [[List of states and territories of India by population|terms of population]].  Goa is located on the west coast of India in the region known as the [[Konkan]]
Forest cover in Goa stands at 1,424&nbsp;km², most of which is owned by the government. Government owned forest is estimated at 1224.38&nbsp;km² whilst private is given as 200&nbsp;km². Most of the forests in the state are located in the interior eastern regions of the state. The Western Ghats, which form most of eastern Goa, have been internationally recognised as one of the [[biodiversity hotspot]]s of the world. In the February 1999 issue of ''[[National Geographic Magazine]]'', Goa was compared with the [[Amazon rainforest]] and the [[Congo Basin]] for its rich tropical biodiversity.

[[Nanda Lake]] is the first and the only Ramsar wetland site in Goa.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/nanda-lake-in-curchorem-is-states-first-ramsar-site/articleshow/93332412.cms |title=Nanda lake in Curchorem is Goa’s first Ramsar site|access-date=6 September 2022}}</ref>
Goa's state animal is the [[Gaur]], the state bird is the [[Pycnonotus melanicterus dispar|Ruby-throated yellow Bulbul]],<ref>[http://www.goatourism.gov.in/general-information/local-fauna] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181007111724/http://www.goatourism.gov.in/general-information/local-fauna |date=7 October 2018 }}, Local Fauna of Goa - Goa Tourism.</ref> which is a variation of [[Black-crested Bulbul]], and the state tree is the [[Terminalia tomentosa|Matti]].

[[File:Coqueiro Goy.jpg|thumb|Coconut palms with their undulating fronds in Goa, India]]
The important forests products are [[bamboo]] canes, [[Maratha]] barks, [[chillar]] barks and the [[bhirand]]. [[Coconut]] trees are ubiquitous and are present in almost all areas of Goa barring the elevated regions. Much deciduous vegetation, including [[teak]], [[sal (tree)|sal]], [[cashew]] and [[mango tree]]s, is present. Fruits include [[jackfruit]]s, mangos, pineapples and blackberries.

Foxes, wild boars and migratory birds are found in the jungles of Goa. The avifauna includes [[kingfisher]]s, [[myna]]s and parrots. Numerous types of fish are also caught off the coast of Goa and in its rivers. Crabs, lobsters, shrimps, jellyfish, oysters and catfish form some of the piscine catch. Goa also has a high snake population, which keeps the rodent population in control. Goa has many famous National Parks, including the renowned Salim Ali bird sanctuary.

{| class="wikitable" |
|-
| '''Name of the Sanctuary'''
| '''Area (km²)'''
| '''Location (Taluka)'''
|'''Distance from Panjim (km)'''
|-
| [[Bhagwan Mahaveer Sanctuary and Mollem National Park|Mollem National Park]]
| 107
| [[Sanguem]]
|71
|-
| [[Bhagwan Mahaveer Sanctuary and Mollem National Park|Bhagwan Mahavir Wildlife Sanctuary]]
| 133
| [[Sanguem]]
|65
|-
| [[Cotigao Wildlife Sanctuary]]
| 86	
| [[Canacona]]
|60
|-
| [[Bondla Wildlife Sanctuary]]
| 8	
| [[Ponda taluka|Ponda]]
|52
|-
| Dr. [[Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary]]
|1.76
| [[Tiswadi]]
|8
|-
| [[Madei Wildlife Sanctuary]]	
| 208.48	
| [[Sattari]]
|50
|-
| [[Netravali Wildlife Sanctuary]]
|211.05
| [[Sanguem]]
|60
|-
| Total	
|755.31
|-
|}

Goa has more than 33% of its geographic area under government forests (1224.38&nbsp;km²) of which about 62% has been brought under Protected Areas (PA) of Wildlife Sanctuaries and National Park. Since there is a substantial area under private forests and a large tract under cashew, mango, coconut, etc. plantations, the total forest and tree cover constitutes 56.6% of the geographic area.

==See also==
* [[List of seabirds of Goa]]

==References==
<references />

==External links==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20181007111724/http://www.goatourism.gov.in/general-information/local-fauna Local Fauna of Goa], Goa Tourism

{{Goa topics}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Flora And fauna Of Goa}}
[[Category:Environment of Goa]]
[[Category:Fauna of India by state or union territory|Goa]]
[[Category:Flora of India by state or union territory|Goa]]


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