Bhitarkanika Wildlife Sanctuary

The Odisha government has cancelled leases granted to two aquaculture companies for shrimp culture over a sprawling area inside Bhitarkanika Wildife Sanctuary, which is famous for crocodile conservation and thick mangrove forests.

About ‘Bhitarkanika Wildlife Sanctuary’ –

• Bhitarkanika National Park is located in Kendrapara district in Odisha.
• The area has been designated as second Ramsar site of the State after the Chilika Lake.
• It is surrounded by Bhitarkanika Wildlife Sanctuary. Gahirmatha Beach and Marine Sanctuary are to the east, separating swamp region and mangroves from the Bay of Bengal.
• The national park and wildlife sanctuary is inundated by the rivers Brahmani, Baitarani, Dhamra, Pathsala.
• It is the second largest mangrove ecosystem in India.
• It is said to house 70% of the country’s estuarine or saltwater crocodiles, conservation of which was started way back in 1975.