Satkosia Tiger Reserve

• 26 Dec 2020

Why in News

Recently, the National Tiger Conservation Authority has asked Odisha to submit a status report on the adverse impact of tourism on Satkosia Tiger Reserve.

Key Points

• Satkosia Tiger Reserve, Bhubaneswar comprises two adjoining sanctuaries of central Odisha named as Satkosia Gorge Sanctuary and Baisipalli Sanctuary.
  
  • These two sanctuaries together covering an area of 963.87 sq km were notified as Tiger Reserve in December 2007.
• Lying in a transitional zone extending between the Chhota Nagpur Plateau and the Deccan Plateau, the tiger reserve exhibits endemic life forms of both biotic provinces.
• Flora and Fauna:
  
  • The area supports moist deciduous forest, dry deciduous forest and moist peninsular Sal forest.
  • This area is the home for Tiger, Leopard, Elephant, Gaur, Chousingha, Sloth bear, Wild dog, varieties of resident and migratory birds, reptilian species, etc.
• Crocodile Conservation:
  
  • In March 1974, the Forest Department of the Government of Orissa with technical support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) started a breeding programme of crocodiles.
  • In March 1975, the Gharial Research and Conservation Unit (GRACU) was started, which has done pioneering work in crocodile conservation in India.
    
    • The activities include conservation breeding, releasing of reared crocodiles into the wild and its rehabilitation.
• Satkosia Gorge Sanctuary:
  
  • It owes its name to the narrow stretch of River Mahanadi i.e. “Sat-Kosh'' or seven miles long near Tikarpada, 60 km south of Angul.
  • The area was made a sanctuary in 1976 and spreads out in four districts of Odisha namely Angul, Budh, Cuttack and Nayagarh.
  • The Satkosia Gorge is a unique feature in geomorphology of India because here Mahanadi cuts right across the Eastern Ghats and has formed a magnificent gorge.
  • Fauna: It is known for Gharials, Mugger crocodile and rare freshwater turtles like Chitra indica and Indian softshell turtle.
• Baisipalli Sanctuary:
  
  • It gets its name from the 22 settlements existing within its span.
  • It was given the status of sanctuary in May 1981.
  • It is located where the Mahanadi River passes through a gorge in the Eastern Ghats mountains in Nayagarh District.
  • The whole area is a part of the Deccan Peninsula Biogeographic Zone, Eastern Plateau province and Eastern Ghat sub-division.
  • Flora and Fauna: It is a sal dominated forest with a significant number of tigers, leopards, elephants, herbivores like Chousingha and water birds, reptilians, etc.

Major Protected Areas in Odisha

• National Parks:
  
  • Bhitarkanika National Park
  • Simlipal National Park
• Wildlife Sanctuaries:
  
  • Badrama WLS
  • Chilika (Nalaban) WLS
  • Hadgarh WLS
  • Kotagarh WLS
  • Nandankanan WLS
  • Lakhari Valley WLS
  • Gahirmatha (Marine) WLS