Dr Salim Ali bird sanctuary is Goa’s only bird sanctuary. It is named after India’s best-known ornithologist and naturalist, the late Dr. Salim Ali.
Dr Salim Ali. Photo Source: Creative Commons
Briefing on Dr. Salim Ali.
He was born on 12 November 1896 and passed away on 20 June 1987. Dr. Ali was known as the Birdman of India. Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History at Coimbatore is a leading institute in memory of him, established in 1990 by the Union government.
Dr Ali is the father of Ornithology. As per some experts, A.O Hume, the founder of the Congress Party and an Ornithologist, is the father of Ornithology. Basically, Hume was not an Indian.
Dr Salim Ali once said that it was between 1930 and 1950 that he made the most constructive study on birds. He was very much instrumental in establishing the Thattekad Bird Sanctuary, the first bird sanctuary of Kerala.
Details of the Bird Sanctuary
Dr Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary is a 440-acre sanctuary at the western tip of Chorao Island. It is along the river Mandovi in the Goa state of India.
There are many species of flora and fauna inside Dr Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary at Goa. There are a variety of jackals, foxes, mudskippers, and crocodiles.
This bird sanctuary is also a paradise for bird watchers in India. The area mainly consists of mangrove vegetation, the breeding ground for many species of birds, insects, and fish.
Dr. Salim Ali’s Books
The Fall of a Sparrow is the autobiography of Dr. Salim Ali. The Book of Indian Birds is yet another book by Dr. Salim Ali. Dr. Ali is also the author of Birds of Kerala.
Tara Gandhi is the author of Words for Birds, a collection of 35 Radio Broadcasts of Dr. Ali from 1941 to 1980. S. Santhi translated it as Kilimozhi in Malayalam.
Memorial Stamp
On the occasion of Dr Salim Ali’s hundredth birth anniversary in 1996, the Indian postal department released two commemorative stamps. One is for Rs 11 and the other for Rs 8.
How do I go to Dr Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary in Goa?
You need permission from the Chief Wild Life Warden, Forest Department, Junta House, Panaji, by paying the necessary entry fee to get the entry pass. To take your camera inside, you need to pay extra. Then, take a cab or bus that can take you up to the Ribandar ferry dock. Thereafter, you need to take the ferry service available to cross the Mandovi River and reach Chorao Island.
Which is the Ideal Time to Visit the Bird Sanctuary in Goa?
The ideal time to visit this Bird Sanctuary in Goa is early mornings and late evenings.
This bird Sanctuary is situated within a network of water channels. Hence, you need to crisscross them. Movement is restricted during high tide time if you are going by boat.
Chartered boat services for around 9 to 12 people are available. They take you across the water channels to the Bird Sanctuary.
