Renowned for its complex forest ecosystem and lush verdant landscapes, the Cotigao Wildlife Sanctuary is a dream come true for all wildlife enthusiasts. Located in Canacona Taluka less than 3km from the municipality of Poinguinim, this sprawling wildlife sanctuary was first established in the late 60s and is now considered the second largest sanctuary of its kind in Goa. Home to not one but two rivers, namely the Galjibaga River and Talpona River, the site is popular for its forest environment that features towering 30-meter high trees and a number of watering holes. Designed to mimic a natural forest environment the sanctuary has been cultivated in a manner that blocks sunbeams from entering the forest floor due to a thick foliage of treetops.
Offering guests the unique opportunity of observing animals roaming in natural surroundings, the Cotigao Wildlife Sanctuary houses three forest varieties within its 86km2 enclave. These include evergreen forests, moist deciduous forests and semi-evergreen forests all of which support different forms of animal life within their inherent environmental conditions. The venue boasts eight nature trails that cut across the expansive parkland with some being a mere 500 meters long while others extend 5km into the forest. Known for its diverse wildlife heritage, guests can expect to spot leaping gazelles, prowling panthers and lazy sloth bears in addition to jungle cats, Indian bison, hyenas, wild boars and leopard cats. Porcupines, toddy cats, deer, monkeys and gaurs are also frequently spotted within the parkland while some of its lesser known inhabitants include such rare beauties as the four-horned antelope, Indian pangolins, flying squirrels, mouse deer, Malabar trogons and the slender loris. Hump-nosed pit vipers and golden-back gliding snakes also call this verdant forest home as do Malabar pit vipers, flying lizards, speckled piculets, velvet-fronted nuthatches and Malayan bittern. Bird watching enthusiasts will not be disappointed as the park also boasts an impressive population of winged creatures with the likes of heart-spotted woodpeckers and white-bellied woodpeckers amongst many others.
With 6 strategically positioned watchtowers and a treetop shelter, one can also observe the parks inhabitants going about their daily activities from a unique vantage point. Seeing an increased influx of visitors from the month of October to December, the entrance of the sanctuary also contains a nature interpretation centre, range forest office, rescue centre and a library for those who wish to gain a better understanding of the venue and its inhabitants.
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