Animals-

Goa's forests are home to inumerable animals

The Slender Loris (Loris tardigradus) is occasionally found in the dense forests of Mollem and Canacona.

The Bonnet Macaque (Macaca radiata) and the Common Langur (Presbytis entellus) are frequently seen all over the district.

Members of the cat family like the tiger (Panthera tigris), the Leopard (Panthera pardus), are rarely noticed though
stray animals may wander in from neighbouring forests.

The Common Mongoose (Herpestes edwardsi) is found near habitations.

The Sloth Bear (Melarsus ursinus) is not uncommon. It has on rare occasions attacked humans in Surla ghat and in Cotigao.

The 'Colo' or the Jackal (Canis aureus) and the Striped Hyaena (Hyaena hyaena) and the Wild Dog (Cuon alpinus)
can be seen roaming freely.

In the rodent family, the 'Undir', the Indian Field Mouse (Mus booduga), the common house rat (Rattus rattus) and the Indian Gerbille
(Tatera indica) are found in plenty. Also included are the 'Chueha' or Blanford's Rat (Rattus blanfordi) and the House Shrew (Suncus murinus).

The 'Sal' or the common Indian Porcupine (Hystrix indica) is renowned for damaging teak and cashew seedlings.

The 'Govo Redo' or the 'Gaur'--the Indian Bison (Bos gaurus) is the state animal of Goa. It moves in herds in the Codal valley, Mollem,
Salguinim, Zuna, Netorli, and Canacona.

The Sambhar (Cervus unicolor), the Chital (Axis axis), the Barking Deer (Muntiacus muntjak), the Mouse Deer (Tragulus meminna),
and the Hog Deer (Axis porcinus) are found throughout the forests of the territory. Frequent hunting has considerably lowered their numbers.

Sea mammals include the Dugong or Sea Cow (Dygong dugon), Porpoise (Phocaena phocaena), and the Long Beaked Dolphin (Steno spp.)

Birdlife:

Goa is endowed with a wide variety of birds. This fairly large and diverse population can survive simply because of a habitat that ranges
from open forests to scrubby tracts and dense forests which are ideal for breeding. Given below are some important species of birds:

The Little Egret (Egretta gazetta), the Median Egret (Egretta intermedia), the Indian Reef Heron (Egretta gularis) and the Indian Pond Heron
(Ardeola grayii) are always visible crouching at water ponds and estuaries.

The Passass Fishing Eagle (Haliaetus leucorphyus) and the Brahminy Kite (Haliastar indus) are frequently seen along riverbanks.

Pea Fowls (Pavo cristatus) are of sporadic occurrence in the forests of Peroem and Sauari

Jungme Fowls!incmuding!uhe Gsey Fowl (Gallus sonneratti) are found around bamboo thickets at Mollem, Sanvordem, Valpoi, Sanguem and
Canacona forests,as are the Red Spur Fowl (Galloperdix spadicea), and the Grey Quail (Coturnix coturnix).

Among owls, the Bard (Tyto alba), the Spotted Owlet (Athene brama) and the Barred Jungle Owlet (Glaucidium radiatum) are common in open forests.

The Blue tailed Bee-eater (Merops philippinus) is very conspicuous, mostly in rice fields. Others include the Chestnut Headed Bee-eater
(Merops leschenaulti), and the Small Green Bee-eater (Merops orientalis).

Mynas, Bulbuls, Crows, Drongos, Woodpeckers, Hornbills, and Sparrows are some of the other birds of this region.

Snakes:

Heavy rainfall and dense flora provide an excellent habitat for snakes and other reptiles. The total number of snake bite cases
recorded every year is about 200, of which some are fatal. Snakes found in Goa are both of the non-poisonous and poisonous variety.

Typhlops braminus-- The common blind snake, locally called the 'sulva'. It looks like an earthworm but is slightly bigger. This snake is
absolutely harmless and is usually found feeding on rotting material in forests.

Eryx conicus- The Russell Sand Boa, locally known as `malun'. This is a common snake found even at a height of 3000 feet. It grows to about
590 mm, the females being much longer. Chocolate brown in colour with blotches of grey pattern spread all over the body this snake feeds on
frogs, small mammals, lizards, and birds.

Python molurus- The Indian python, called 'Har'. It is available in the rocky regions of the hill ranges where plenty of water is found.
It has been seen to grow upto 14 feet in length and weigh as much as 40 kilos. It has a girth of two feet. It is completely chocolate brown in colour.
The head has lance shaped arrow mark in grey. The python normally feeds on small mammals and birds,
although it has been seen to attack goats and deer as well.

Pytas mucosus- The 'Dhamin' or the Indian Rat Snake is a very common snake of the plains. It grows to about nine feet in length
and is camel yellow in colour with a black border on the scales in the head and tail region. It is an extremely agile snake, climbing trees to feed on rats,
frogs and birds. It is very good hunter of rats.

Chrysopelea ornata-- The Golden Tree Snake. It is a beautiful coloured snake which some people call 'Kalinagin'.
It grows to about 1000 mm in length and about 200 mm in breadth. The colour is variable, even running to black with narrow pale greenish cross bars. It feeds on lizards,
geckos, small mammals, birds, insects and even small snakes.

Natrix piscator (Schneider)- The checkered keelback. This is the common water snake met with in muddy places. It is locally called 'Divad'.
It grows to 4 feet in length and 3 inches in girth. It is deep brown in colour and the upper body has a checkered board mark. It is a prolific feeder, devouring enormous amounts of frogs and fish.

Some Poisonous snakes are: but rare

Naja naja (Linnaeus)- The Indian Cobra. This is the common cobra or 'naga' of the region. It is found all over the territory.
The cobra grows to a length of maximum 1828 mm and has a girth of maximum five inches or 127 mm. The bite of the cobra is lethal.
Its poison is neuro-toxic and when injected in sufficient doses, the victim feels a benumbing sensation at the appendages which gradually travels up till the breathing muscles are paralysed.
Death is caused by respiratory failure. The only sure remedy is an antivenin.

Naja hannah--The king cobra. The adult may reach a length of 4 metres or more. It is a very snake and is met with mainly in the eastern forests of Goa
, on the borders of Karnataka. The difference between this and the common cobra is that though both scale behind the eye,
the king cobra does not have a triangle between the fourth and fifth lower lip scales.
There are no marks on the hood which is narrower than that of the common cobra. The king cobra feeds only on other snakes and is found in forests, and bamboo plantations.
It has been found to lay eggs between bamboo leaves. Its venom is neuro-toxic and the amount of venom injected in a bite is much more than that injected by an ordinary cobra.

Bungarus coerulaus (Schneider)- Common Indian Krait. This is locally called 'Kaner' or 'maniar'. It is steel blue in colour with white cross stripes all over the body.
It lays eggs before the monsoons and the young ones are just as poisonous as the adult.
The poison is neuro-toxic and for an ordinary sized man, about 6 milligrams is enough cause death as against 12 milligrams of venom that a cobra commonly injects.
The bite does not give any pain or swelling and the patient just sleeps to death. The only sure remedy against this poison is an anti-venin.

Vipera russeli (Shaw)-Russel's Viper. This is the 'mandol' of Goa. It grows to about 4 feet and is around 4 inches in girth.
The head is triangular, with very thin scales. The body is brown in colour with three chains of elliptical marks, one over the dorsal and two on the lateral sides of the snake.
Its venom is vasotoxic and when injected gives very painful reactions at the place of the bite.
The venom brings down the clotting level time of the blood of mammals. Without administration of an antivenin, vicitms die of heart failure.

Hydrophis caerulescens (Shaw)- This is a sea snake found on many of the beaches of Goa. It is bluish grey above and yellowish white below
with about 60 broad bands on the body from head to tail. It grows to almost a metre in length and attains a girth of about 65mm.
Its venom is very toxic and only an antivenin can save the victim.