Forest department sows 25,000 fruit trees in north Goa sanctuaries

PANAJI

: The state forest department has taken its annual tree plantation drive a notch higher this year. It has sown 25,000 seeds of fruit-bearing trees including wild mangoes, jackfruit, jambul, ficus berries, gooseberry and

tamarind

at sanctuaries in North Goa to not only improve tree cover but to also provide food for animals.


“In Goa, there is a problem of animals coming out of the forest and into the neighbouring villages in search of food. Due to this, agriculturists suffer as their fruit-bearing trees lie on the peripheries,” deputy conservator of forests Vikas Desai told TOI. “We have planted 10,000 seeds each at the sanctuaries in Mhadei and

Molem

. Another 5,000 were planted at the

Bondla wildlife sanctuary

. These fruit-bearing trees will enrich the forest as well as its wildlife. Also, animals will not have to venture out of the sanctuaries for food,” he said.

While most of the trees will cater to small animals like monkeys, squirrels and birds, forest officials are optimistic that some of the fallen fruit will be eaten by herds of deer. “We have also planted different types of grass for bison. The wild boar is omnivorous and the peacock feeds on rodents and snakes, which is why we’ve not planted anything separately for them,” Desai said.