Bhitarkanika National Park: In News
A 6.3-feet-long female saltwater crocodile was recently netted by forest personnel from a pond in a village close to Bhitarkanika National Park in Odisha’s Kendrapara district.
- It is located in the Kendrapara district of Odisha.
- Spread across an area of 672 sq.km. of the mangrove swamp situated on the delta formed by the three rivers, namely Brahmani, Baitarani, and
- Dhamra, the park houses an array of creeks, backwaters, estuaries, deltas, and mudhuts.
- It is India’s second largest mangrove ecosystem after the Sunderbans.
- Proximity to the Bay of Bengal makes the soil of the area enriched with salt; the vegetation and species of the sanctuary are those that are mainly found in the tropical and subtropical intertidal regions.
- It is also designated as a Ramsar site.
- It is home to the largest congregation of the endangered Salt Water Crocodile in the country.
- The Gahirmatha Beach, which forms the boundary of the park in the east, is the largest colony of the Olive Ridley Sea Turtles.
- It is also home to numerous animals like hyenas, wild boar, Chitals, Sambar, Spotted Deer, Wild Boar, Jungle cat, Wild Pigs, etc., and migratory birds, which make it their home during the winter season, lending a vibrant hue to the ecosystem.
- It is also home to eight varieties of Kingfisher birds, which is also a rarity.
