Panaji: As part of Wildlife Week activities, the forest department is organising its first special nature-exposure visit to Cotigao Wildlife Sanctuary on Monday for students living with autism.These are students from the Canacona-based school Lokvishvas Prantishtan. Nearly 15 students are expected to visit the sanctuary along with their teachers under the care of the deputy conservator of forests, assistant conservator of forests, range forest officers, forest guards and trekkers. They will also be taken to Bela lake, inside Cotigao, as part of the safari.The nature exposure visit will also be combined with interactive activities, including leaf painting, a drawing competition on the theme ‘my favourite wildlife’, rangoli art and a visit to the renowned butterfly garden.Assistant conservator of forests Urvashi Jain said the garden features more than 180 diverse species of butterflies such as the southern birdwing, Malabar tree nymph, Sahyadri blue oakleaf, cruiser, blue mormon, lime butterfly, peacock pansy etc.“Nature should be accessible to all,” she said, adding, “We have chosen a section of the sanctuary that is relatively easier to access and have made arrangements specifically for the visiting students.”Transport will be arranged for the students through a route selected within the sanctuary that is largely flat. This makes it possible for the group to travel by bus to an area where they can get down and experience the surroundings.Once at the site, the staff will introduce the students to basic concepts of biodiversity and the importance of wildlife conservation.The forest department has also begun work to make the sanctuary’s nature interpretation centre disability-friendly. The project is expected to take another two to three months to complete.
