Orissa : Wildlife
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.
Places
to VisitBhubaneshwar,
Puri,
KonarkSpecial
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