Major wildlife sanctuaries and reserves of Orissa

Ambapani Sanctuary - Orissa

Located 77-kms from Bhawanipatna and 45-kms from Nowrangpur, Ambapani is famous for the deity of Budharaja installed in a small temple at the foot of a hill. The picturesque Ambapani hills present a panoramic view of nature. A frolicking valley called Haladigundi in this range of hills exhibits some peculiar features due to the reflected rays of the sun. The whole area abounds in Spotted Deer, Sambar and Black Panthers, which can be seen at the Behera reservoir.

Belghar Sanctuary: Orissa

158 - kms from Phulbani are the thick tropical forests of Belghar. The dense vegetation of the area is a host to a variety of flora and fauna. Wild elephants abound in this area, which is inhabited mainly by tribal peoples.

Bhitarkanika Sanctuary: Kendrapa District - Orissa

Bhitarkanika wildlife sanctuary is a paradise for adventure lovers. It is also a breeding ground for the Olive Ridley turtles. This is the largest forest of the country. It was declared as a sanctuary in 1975, just to protect the estuarine crocodile and turtles in their rare mangrove habitat.

Flora: Out of seventy-two species of Mangroves identified in the world, sixty-three species are found in Bhitarkanika. Some of the species are Avicinia, Exocaeria, Rhizophora, Soneratia, Heriteria and Phoenix, etc.

Fauna: Reptiles are the dominant species here. The area is equally rich in mammals, birds, amphibians and fishes besides insects and other micro fauna. This has the largest concentration of estuarine crocodiles with as large as 22feet. The Gahirmatha beach in this sanctuary is also the largest rookery of "Olive Ridley" turtles in the world.

Chandka Elephant Reserve - Orissa

Chandaka elephant reserve is located in the Bhubaneshwar. It is only one of its kinds in India. The residents of the reserve are elephants, sambar, bears, wild dogs, peafowls and pythons. Apart from the fabulous Elephants, Chital, Bear, Peafowl, Sambar and numerous other animals roam about doing their daily business unhampered.

Chilika Lake: South West of Puri - Orissa

Chilika Lake situated southwest of Puri a distance of 100 km from Bhubaneshwar. It covers an area of 1100 sq. km. is the largest salt & fresh water lake in Asia. It attracts a large number of migratory birds, like the flamingo, teal, bar headed goose, shoveller and white - bellied sea eagle. Bird lovers can enjoy by visiting here in winter because migratory populations wing in from places as far as Siberia. Prominent fauna is Flamingo, teal, bar headed goose, shoveller and white - bellied sea eagle. Gangetic dolphins.

Gahirmatha Turtle Sanctuary: Orissa

Close to the Bhitar Kanika Sanctuary is another of Orissa's special sanctuaries - the Gahirmatha Turtle Sanctuary. This stretch of beach is the breeding ground for the giant Olive Ridley Turtles, who travel all the way from the Pacific Ocean to mate and lay their eggs here.Every year, thousands of these wondrous creatures can be seen here. In order to protect the turtles, special arrangements have been made by the Government of Orissa.

Karlapat: Bhawanipatna - Orissa

About 35-km from Bhawanipatna, the district headquarters of Kalahandi, on Bhawanipatna-Thuamula-Rampur road is Karlapat, famous for its charming wildlife. Tigers, sambars, leopards, gaur and chitals have rich presence in these forest tracts.

Lakhari Valley Sanctuary: Ganjam - Orissa

Lakhari Valley - Located in Ganjam, in Gajapati district has the southern most population of elephants in Orissa. Tiger, leopard, peafowl and all other fauna of tropical forests is found here. Mahendragiri hill, close to this sanctury is rich in its floristic composition and medicinal plants.

Nandan Kanan - Chandaka Forest - Orissa

Nandankanan literally means the 'Garden of Pleasure' or the Garden of the Gods. It is situated 20 kms from Bhubaneshwar is a combination of a beautiful botanical garden, a zoo and a sanctuary. The zoo at Nandan Kanan is world famous for its white tigers. In 1980, for first time, three white cubs were born to normal coloured parents. It sprawls across the Chandaka forest, where the flora and fauna flourish in their natural habitat.

Flora and Fauna: Endangered species such as the Asiatic Lion, three Indian crocodilians, lion-tailed macaque, Nilgiri Langur, India pangolin, mouse deer and countless birds, reptiles and fish have been breeding successfully at Nandankanan.

Some of the other attractions of Nandankanan are the 34 aquaria, which are home to a large variety of fresh water fishes. A life-size tyrannosaurus guards the Reptile Park’s cave like entrance. Inside, numerous species of crocodiles, lizards, turtles and snakes share the park with natural ease. Other attractions of the park include nocturnal animal house, Reptile Park, arial park and cable car.

Padmatala Sanctuary - Phulabani - Orissa

The little hamlet of Padmatala, located 37-kms from Phulbani, is famous for the presence of a pond, which is used by the wild animals of the area as a watering hole. During most evenings one can spot an amazing variety of wildlife at the pond.

Satkosia Basipalli Sanctuary - Orissa

This Satkosia Basipalli Sanctuary is famous for its Gharial breeding project. This is beautifully gifted from flora and fauna. A stay there and trekking in the long gorge is a fascinating experience.

Simplipal Tiger Reserve: Mayurbhanj District - Orissa

Simplipal is located in the centre of Mayurbhanj district of Orissa. The Simlipal National Park, one of the earliest to come under Project Tiger. It has spread over an area of 2,750 sq kms. It was declared as one of the nine tiger project reserves in the country in 1973. It was declared a sanctuary in 1979.

Fauna: This sprawling ecosystem, thanks to the mega conservation efforts, has close to a 100 tigers. Other mammalian species like leopards, sambhars, langurs, deer, gaur (Indian bison), elephants, antelopes, chitals, chevrotains, wild dog, wild boar, sloth bears, monkeys, hyenas and porcupines are also found here. There are around 230 species of birds in these forests. The ones officially recorded include the red jungle fowl, hill myna, peafowl, alexandrine parakeet, crested serpent eagle, gray hornbill, Indian pied hornbill, Malabar pied hornbill and Indian trogon. Most of these bird species may be spotted in the park. s Newana area. There is a sizable population of reptiles as well, which include snakes and turtles. The population of crocodiles has increased considerably since the inception of the Mugger Management Program.

Tikarapada: Anjul District - Orissa

The site of one of the most fabulous vistas of river and forest, the 'Satkosia Gorge' where the great Mahanadi River crashes in with monumental force is a dizzyingly enervating experience for the visitors. The meandering pace of the sensuous river, 22-km of thick forest, offers scenic delights of the frothing, boiling water as it wends its way through the fabulous gorge, considered to be one of the most enchanting spots in the world. It is the ideal place for boating, angling and other adventure sports. The forest and hills around the village have varieties of fauna to fascinate the visitors. The Gharial sanctuary at Tikarapada is a must for wildlife fans.

Ushakothi Sanctuary - Orissa

One of Orissa's smaller sanctuaries, it still offers visitors a perfect opportunity to see elephants, tigers, panthers, sambars, from the watch towers placed strategically near the watering holes or board a jeep. About 45-km from Sambalpur, the nearest forest rest house is at Badrama situated just 3-km away from here.