Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary

Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary is an estuarine mangrove habitat, which is declared as a bird sanctuary, and located on western tip of the Island of Chorão along the Mandovi River, Goa, in India. The sanctuary is named after Salim Ali, the eminent Indian ornithologist.The sanctuary and island are accessed by a ferry service running between Ribander and Chorão. The sanctuary has a paved walk that runs between mangroves of Rhizophora mucronata, Avicennia officinalis and other species.DescriptionThe size of the sanctuary is 178ha. The area is covered by low mangrove forest.Flora and faunaSeveral species of birds have been recorded and the common species include the striated heron and western reef heron. Other species that have been recorded include the little bittern, black bittern, red knot, jack snipe and pied avocet (on transient sandbanks). The sanctuary is also host to mudskippers, fiddler crabs and other mangrove habitat specialists. A species of crustacean Teleotanais indianis was described based on specimens obtained in the sanctuary.