NATIONAL PARKS AND WILDLIFE SANCTUARY ODISHAÂ . There are many wildlife sanctuaries and national parks in the state. The important national parks and wildlife sanctuaries of the state are Simlipal National Park, Bhitar kanika National Park, Badrama Wildlife Sanctuary, Simlipal Wildlife Sanctuary, Balukhand Konark Wildlife Sanctuary, Sunabeda Wildlife Sanctuary, etc.
National Parks of Odisha
Bhitarkanika National Park :
- It is located on the North-East of Kendrapara district of Odisha. It came into existence in the year 1998. This national park is surrounded by the Bhitar kanika Wildlife Sanctuary. It covers an area of 145 sq km. It is one of the five marine protected areas of the state.
- It is rich in reptiles, mammals and birds. Important flora of this park are Sundari,Thespia, Teak, Salaia, Bamboo, Babool, Palas, Indigo bush, etc.
- Important fauna found here are crocodile, white crocodile, Indian python, kingcobra, black ibis and many other species of fauna. It has many species of plant sand birds.
Simlipal National Park
- It is located in Mayurbhanj district inthe North-Eastern part of Odisha. Itis situated at a distance of 320 km from Bhubaneswar. It came into existence in 1980.
- It covers an area of 845.70 sq km. It issue rounded by deciduous trees and sal forests. Twelve rivers run across this national park, e.g. Budhabalanga,Palpala, Deo river, etc.
- It has a unique feature of being a tiger reserve, a sanctuary and a biosphere reserve.
- It is home to animals like tiger, Asian elephant and gaur (Indian bison).Other animals such as four-horned antelope, deer, leopard, bear, spotted deer and barking deer, sambar deer,langurs, etc. are found here.
- It provides shelter to Royal Bengal Tigers. The park also has Joranda (150 m) and Barehipani (400 m)waterfalls.
NATIONAL PARKS AND WILDLIFE SANCTUARY ODISHA
Wildlife Sanctuaries of Odisha
Badrama Wildlife Sanctuary
- It is also known as Ushakothi Sanctuary. It is located in Sambalpur district. It came into existence in 1962and covers an area of 304.03 sq km.
- It is comprised of parts of Badrama Reserve Forests, Ushakothi Reserve Forests, Binjipali Reserve Forests and Kansar Reserve Forests.
- Important fauna are tiger, elephant,leopard, hyena, bison, wild boar,spotted deer, sambar deer, bear,porcupine, and many varieties of bird sand reptiles.
Bhitarkanika Wildlife Sanctuary
- It is located in the estuarine region of Brahmani-Baitarani rivers in the North-Eastern corner of Kendrapara district. It came into existence in the year 1975 and covers an area of 525 sq km.
- This sanctuary is bordered by sea beach, which attracts thousands of Olive Ridley sea turtles during January to April.
- Important fauna of this sanctuary are salt water crocodile (endangered),hyena, fishing cat, jungle cat, civet,Indian porcupine, wild boar, spotted deer, sambar, stork, Asian open bill,egrets, black ibis, cormorants, darters,etc
Nandankanan Wildlife Sanctuary
- It is located in Khurda district amidst of Chandaka forests. It came into existence in the year 1979. It covers an area of 14.16 sq km.
- It is the only conservation breeding centre of Indian pangolins in the world.
- It has been internationally acclamed for its highest collection of white tigers in the world. Besides white tigers and gharials, leopard, mouse deer, lions, ratel and vultures are found here.
- The fauna of this sanctuary are Asiatic lion, Indian crocodiles, lion, tailed macaque, Nilgiri langur, Indian pangolin, mouse deer, etc.
Baisipalli Wildlife Sanctuary
- It is located in Nayagarh district. It came into existence in the year 1981. It covers an area around 168.35 sq km.It has a close proximity with the Satkosia Gorge Sanctuary.
- Important fauna are elephants, tigers,leopards, water birds and some varieties of reptiles like python, king cobra, etc.
Satkosia Gorge Wildlife Sanctuary
- It is located in Angul district and isad joined by Boudh Nayagarh and Cuttack districts. It came into existence in 1976 and covers an area of 745.52 sq km. The Satkosia Gorge is part of an extension of Mahanadi river
- Important fauna are gharials, elephant,leopard, gaur, black bear, slow loris,musk deer, wild goat, Assamese macaque, pig-tailed macaque, etc.
Simlipal Wildlife Sanctuary
- It is located in Mayurbhanj district. It came into existence in the year 1979.It covers an area of 1354 sq km.
- Important fauna of this sanctuary are tigers, elephants, panthers, gaurs, pangolins, four horned antelopes, red jungle fowl, crested serpent eagle,grey horn bill, peafowl, Indian hillmyna, etc.
Chandaka Dampara WildlifeSanctuary
- It is located partly in Khurda district and partly in Cuttack district. It came into existence and designated as an elephant reserve in 1982. It covers an area of 175.79 sq km.
- Important flora of this sanctuary are moist semi-evergreen forests, moist Kangada forests, coastal sal forests,thorny bamboo forests, planted teak,scrub, orchids, etc.
- Important fauna are Indian elephant,leopard, chital, barking deer, mouse deer, wild pig, common langur, small Indian civet, pangolin, sloth bear,hyena, peafowl, red jungle fowl,crested serpent eagle and many reptiles.
Chilika Wildlife Sanctuary
- It is located on the east coast of Puri,Khurda and Ganjam district. It came into existence in 1987. It covers an area of about 15.53 sq km. It is also known as Nalabana Bird Sanctuary and it is an island in Chilika lake.
- Birds Island is a part of this lake which is known as heaven for the resident and migratory birds.
- It is a home to endangered Irrawady dolphins and bottle-nosed dolphins also can be seen.
- Important birds species of this sanctuary are white bellied sea eagles,grey lag geese, purple moorhen, jacana,herons, flamingos.
- Important fauna are black buck,spotted deer, jungle cat, fox, golden jackals, hyena, etc. The sanctuary also has about 160 species of fishes.
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