You may have been familiar with the dazzling majesty with which the Gaur, nickname for the FC Goa football team, played on the football field in the Indian Super League.
The gait and poise of the gaur or the Great Indian bison, an integral part of the FC Goa logo, is equally majestic in real life. Something worth travelling to see, even if it takes a trip all the way to some of Goa's wildlife sanctuaries located in remote parts of hinterland Goa.
The mighty gaur is Goa’s state animal and is a Schedule “ 1 animal under the Wildlife Preservation Act. The best place to see this majestic animal, with its huge, black well-sculpted bulk and stylish white stockings, for yourself in captivity is the Bondla Wildlife Sanctuary, located in Ponda, around 30 kilometers from the state capital. A huge animal pit has a gaur family which can be seen going about their business from the gallery above.
Bison herds in the wild are also a sight to be cherished. There’s the Cotigao Wildlife Sanctuary as well as the Netravali Wildlife Sanctuary where herds are regularly spotted. You can lie in wait atop a machan built near watering holes at these sanctuaries waiting for one of these herds to pass by.
Where: Try the Bondla, Netravali and the Cotigao wildlife sanctuaries.
