Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary, Protected wildlife area in North Goa District, India

Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary is a 208.5 km2 protected area in Sattari taluka, North Goa district, within the Western Ghats. Elevations range from 560 m in the centre to 200 m in the west, and the sanctuary includes the Vagheri Hills, whose 560 m Vagheri peak is the highest in the sanctuary, near Keri village in Sanquelim. The Mhadei River passes 9.4 km through the sanctuary.

The sanctuary was established on May 18, 1999, making Goa the first Indian state to fully protect its Western Ghats section within its boundaries. This milestone marked a major step forward for forest conservation in the region.

Local villages maintain sacred groves like Devachi rai in Copardem, where traditional religious practices guide how people protect and interact with the forest. These customs shape the community's relationship with nature today.

Rest houses near Valpoi and Keri offer basic lodging, while private eco-resorts at Chorla Ghat provide more comfortable options. Visitors should expect slippery trails and changing weather, especially during the rainy season.

The sanctuary is an International Bird Area (IN177), meeting criteria for globally threatened, restricted-range and biome-restricted species. Its trigger species include the Nilgiri wood-pigeon, Malabar parakeet, Malabar grey hornbill, grey-headed bulbul, rufous babbler, white-bellied blue-flycatcher and crimson-backed sunbird. Of the 255 bird species recorded, 53 showed direct signs of breeding here.