Nature walks in reserve forests for students this wildlife week

Panaji: To mark the Goa Wildlife Week 2023, the forest department will organise guided nature and birding walks in protected and reserve forest areas for around 1,800 school and college students across the state.

Chief conservator of forests Saurabh Kumar said that around 60 such nature and birding walks have been organised, with the activities already having kicked off on September 28.

“All divisions of the forest department will conduct the guided walks. Even a visit to the zoo will be organised. Around 30 students are participating in each event,” said Kumar.

Goa Wildlife Week will be held from October 2 to 8.

On October 2, as cleanliness drives are held across the country on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti, the forest department will hold beach cleaning drives at all four turtle nesting sites of Agonda, Galgibaga, Mandrem and Morjim. Personnel from the newly formed marine forest ranges will involve local residents, NGOs and stakeholders in drives.

Kumar said that all range forest officers (RFO) have been told to conduct nature awareness talks for villagers, village panchayat members, school students and NGOs in their respective jurisdictions, with a focus on snake awareness. Besides RFOs, other experts in the area will also be engaged to give talks.

On October 7, marine RFO and the NGO Aero will conduct an intertidal walk on Anjuna beach for the local students and Anjuna panchayat members.

“On October 4, an interactive session on wildlife conservation and the opportunities and challenges will be organised for all stakeholders at the Cotigao Wildlife Sanctuary by the deputy conservator of forest for South Goa. The North Goa wildlife division will conduct webinars on wildlife-related topics by experts on October 5. Capacity- and team-building exercises for departmental staff will be held in both districts,” said Kumar.

He said that various competitions have already been held in schools across Goa since September 25. A district-level drawing competition is being held for students of Classes I to IV, including specially-abled children from Classes IV to VII, on butterflies of Goa and flowers of Goa.