PANAJI: Students of zoology at Goa University were trained in biodiversity estimation on Galgibaga beach, which is a turtle nesting site, and the Cotigao wildlife sanctuary. Both sites are located in Canacona taluka. The training is part of a bid to give students hands-on experience.For the first time, the university's MSc Zoology students were taken on a night trail to study nocturnal wild animals and their lifestyle.The students and the four faculty members who accompanied them, came across many uncommon sightings, like a leopard, Malabar pit viper, hump-nosed pit viper, wild boar and flying squirrel.In the butterfly garden at the Cotigao Wildlife Sanctuary, students were acquainted with the winged wonders of Goa by wildlife experts Amar Heblekar and the principal of the Forest Training School, Valpoi. The butterfly garden in the sanctuary is home to a number of rare and endemic butterflies along with their host plants, making it the ideal place to observe the lifestyle of butterflies.The students had early morning bird watching session as well. They sighted a large number of birds, including the state bird, flame-throated yellow bulbul.Some of the thrust areas of study at the zoology department of GU include ecology, conservation biology, wildlife biology, herpetology, ornithology, biodiversity monitoring, biodiversity assessment and environmental conservation.

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