Goa has five wildlife sanctuaries and a national park

The Wildlife Institute of India (WII) has suggested inclusion of Goa as a part of the Tiger Reserve complex complimenting the sanctuaries in Maharashtra and Karnataka, which would help the coastal state in conserving wild cats. The Dehradun-based Institute, which submitted its report on the status of wildlife in Goa to the state forest department has established that tiger occupancy in Goa is about 322 square kilometres.

The State Forest Department has stopped all tourism activities in the core areas of tiger reserves in the State with effect from Thursday in line with the country-wide ban by the Supreme Court.

Visitors now in the tiger reserves will have to return without a safari, as the State Government recently declared the entire tiger reserves in the State core areas. “There will be no tourism activities within Bandipur, Nagarhole, Anshi Dandeli, BRT Wildlife Sanctuary and Bhadra Tiger Reserve,” Dipak Sarmah, Principal chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) and Chief Wildlife Warden, told Deccan Herald.