Wildlife in Orissa
Nandankanan Biological Park
The
picturesque Nandankanan, or the Garden of the Gods, is a beautiful biological
park, 20 kms from Bhubaneshwar, established in 1960. It sprawls across the Chandaka
forest, where the flora and fauna flourish in their natural habitat. The park
houses the very first captive gharial breeding centre of the country. The zoo
at Nandakanan is world-renowned for its white tigers. In 1980, for the very
first time, three white tiger cubs were born from normal coloured parents.
With facilities for boating, white tiger and lion safaris, a nocturnal animal
house, reptile park, aerial ropeway and cable car, it is the place for a person
with a penchant for the great outdoors.
Chandka Elephant Reserve
Located in Bhubaneshwar, this reserve is the ony one of its kind in India. Besides
elephants, sambar, bears, wild dogs, pea fowls and pythons can be spotted.
Chilika Lake
Located
at a distance of 100 km from Bhubaneshwar, this lake covering an area of 900
sq. km, is Asia's largest salt and fresh water lake. It attracts a large number
of migratory birds, like the flamingo, teal, bar headed goose, shoveller and
white - bellied sea eagle. For bird-lovers, Chilika is best visited in winter
when the migratory populations wing in from places as far as Siberia Close to
the mouth of the lake, is a large population of Gangetic dolphins. Chilika is
easily accessible from both Bhubaneshwar and Puri.
Bhitarkanika Sanctuary
Bhitarnika is an adventurist's paradise and a breeding ground for Olive Ridley
turtles. The second largest mangrove forest of the country, it was declared
a sanctuary in 1975, in order to protect the estuarine crocodile and the turtles
in their rare mangrove habitat. Other residents of the sanctuary include water
monitor lizards and king cobras.
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