Apart from being a world famous travel destination, Goa is also home to a wide variety of plant and animal species. With increase in tourism, the wildlife of the state was effected, and the government made four wildlife sanctuaries to protect the wild life in the state. These four sanctuaries are as follows:

Bhagwan Mahaveer Sanctuary

Covering 240 kilometres of tropical forests, this sanctuary is situated in Ponda and Sanguem Talukas, between the foothills of Western Ghats and the border of Karnataka.  The sanctuary is one of the best in Goa and offers tourist accommodation, where you can stay and explore the wild. Various species of birds, wild dogs and black panthers are what you can hope to see here.
The other thing of importance here is the ancient temple of the Mahadeva at Tambdi Surla which dates back to the Kadamba dynasty and the Dudhsagar waterfalls, which are one of the highest waterfalls in the country.

Bondla Wildlife Sanctuary

Being more of a jungle resort than sanctuary, Bondla wildlife sanctuary is located at a distance of 38 kilometers from Margao. The sanctuary has a zoo, botanical gardens, rose gardens and deer park which attracts people all year round, most of which are school students.

Covering 8 kilometres of lush green land, Bondla is a place where you can see Monkeys, jackals, wild boar, peacocks, a variety of deer and snake species, in addition to roaming herds of Indian Bison.

Dr. Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary

Spread in around 1.78 square kilometre of area, the Salim Ali bird Sancutary plays host to a wide variety of bird species that thrive in Mangrove trees. The Sanctuary is situated in the Charao Island and can be reached through a boat or by road. Flying foxes, jackals, crocodiles, turtles and other coastal wildlife are what you will find here. The island has a dense mangrove forest as well.

Cotiago Wildlife Sanctuary

Spread over 86 kilometres, this is Goa’s fourth wild life sanctuary. The place is covered with dense deciduous forests and only 8 kms of the area is open for visitors.  The tourists can see the park with private transport from 9.30 am to 5.30 pm after which the park closes. There is a government rest house, where the visitors can stay, if they have taken prior permission.  Although a guide is provided to the visitors, the wildlife may be difficult to see in this sanctuary, due to human disturbances.