Flora and fauna of Goa
Forest covers in Goa is
diverse. Goa is India’s smallest state in terms of area and the fourth smallest
in 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 km², most of
which is owned by the government. Government owned forest is estimated at
1224.38 km² whilst private is given as 200 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 recognized as one of the biodiversity hotspots of the
world. In the February 1999 issue of national geographic magazine Goa was
compared with the Amazon and Congo Basins for its rich tropical biodiversity.
Goa's state animal is the Gaur the state
bird is the Ruby Throated yellow Bulbul which is a variation of Black crested
Bulbul and the state tree is the Matti.
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. A large
number of deciduous vegetation consisting of Teak, Sal, Cashew and Mango trees are
present. Fruits include Jackfruit, mangos, pineapples and blackberries.
