{"id":34404,"date":"2018-10-30T17:24:46","date_gmt":"2018-10-30T11:54:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.forumias.com\/?p=34404"},"modified":"2018-10-30T17:24:46","modified_gmt":"2018-10-30T11:54:46","slug":"bhitarakanika-has-reasons-to-cheer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/bhitarakanika-has-reasons-to-cheer\/","title":{"rendered":"Bhitarakanika has reasons to cheer:"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.thehindu.com\/todays-paper\/tp-national\/bhitarakanika-has-reasons-to-cheer\/article19903336.ece\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Bhitarakanika has reasons to cheer<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Context:<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>The Bhitarakanika National Park<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> situated in <\/span><b>Odisha\u2019s Kendrapara district<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> sees an increase in number of visitors during September, considered an off-season.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Introduction:<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>National parks in India:<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">National parks in India are IUCN category II protected ares.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">India\u2019s first national park was established in 1936 as Hailey National Park, now known as Jim Corbett National Park, Uttarakhand.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In 1972, India enacted the Wildlife Protection Act and Project Tiger to safeguard the habitats of conservation reliant species.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As of July 2017, there were 103 national parks <\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Definition:<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">According to the Indian Ministry of Environment &amp; Forests, a national park is an area, \u00a0whether within a sanctuary or not, that \u00a0can be notified by the state government to be constituted as a National Park, by reason of its ecological, faunal, floral, geomorphological, or zoological association or importance, needed to for the purpose of protecting &amp; propagating or developing wildlife therein or its environment. <\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">No human activity is permitted inside the national park<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">National park is an area which is strictly reserved for the betterment of the wildlife &amp; biodiversity, and where activities like developmental, forestry, poaching, hunting and grazing on cultivation are not permitted.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b style=\"font-size: 1.125rem;\">National Parks<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>The term \u2018National Park&#8217; should denote an area:<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">which is, set aside for the protection and conservation of outstanding natural fauna, flora, geological formations and natural scenic;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">in which hunting, killing or capturing of fauna, or deprivation of any wild animal of its habitat, or destruction and collection of flora, and weapons are all prohibited except for the improvement and a better management of wildlife therein, and on condition that these issues are handled by, or are under the control of, the park authorities;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">where also, grazing [of any live-stock] shall not be permitted.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">No alteration of the boundaries of a National Park shall be made except on the resolution passed by the legislature of the State (Wildlife Protection Society of India, 2003., Thane Riney, 1982).<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>About Bhitarakanika National Park:<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>Location:<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>Bhitarkanika National Park<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is a \u00a0national park located in Kendrapara district of Odisha in eastern India.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The national park is surrounded by the Bhitarkanika Wildlife Sanctuary.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>Gahirmatha Beach <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">and <\/span><b>Marine Sanctuary <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">lies to the east, and separates swamp region cover with canopy of mangroves from the Bay of Bengal <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Thus it become a vicinity of rich biodiversity<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The national park was created in September 1998 from the core area of the Bhitarkanika Wildlife Sanctuary, which was created in 1975. <\/span><b>The sanctuary is the second largest mangrove ecosystem in India.<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The national park and wildlife sanctuary is inundated by a number of rivers &#8211; <\/span><b>Brahmani, Baitarni, Dhamra, Pathsala and others<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Significance:<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It has much significance with regard to ecological, geomorphological and biological background which includes mangrove forests, rivers, creeks, estuaries, back water, accreted land and mud flats. Bhitarkanika National Park is the core area of Bhitarkanika Sanctuary.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Flora and fauna:<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>Flora:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Mangroves, trees like sundari, thespia, casuarinas, and grasses like the indigo bush, and more.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Fauna:<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>Crocodile nest:<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The park is home to <\/span><b>Saltwater Crocodile,<\/b><b> White Crocodile, and Indian python.<\/b> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">King Cobra, black ibis, and<\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">many other species of flora and fauna.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Bhitarakanika continues to be one of the best natural abode for the estuarine crocodile<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Apart from crocodiles, meandering water courses flanked by green mangrove forests and migratory birds flocking in search of prey in the swampy fields of Bhitarakanika are some of the major attractions<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The forest department has come across 80 crocodile nests in their wild habitats in 2017 compared to 75 in 2016 and 70 in 2015.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Other animals:<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">According to the National Park authorities, mammals found in the place include<\/span><b> leopards, wild boars, fishing cats, hyenas, sambar deer and <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Gangetic dolphins.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Reptiles include <\/span><b>olive ridley sea turtles,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> crocodiles, water monitors, pythons and king cobras.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Around 166 species of birds have been spotted in the park<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Bhitarakanika is one of the richest storehouses of mangrove genes.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Researchers have come across 11 of the 70 mangrove species in Bhitarakanika which were at an elevated threat of extinction around the world.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Within the Bhitarkanika Forest Block near Suajore creek from the month of June to October. Most of the Birds are Asian open bill. Egrets. Black Ibis, Cormorants, Darters &amp; etc.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Mangroves and wildlife:<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mangroves are salt tolerant, complex and dynamic eco-systems that occur in tropical and subtropical inter-tidal regions<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Bhitarkanika is one such location of rich, lush green vibrant eco-system lying in the estuarine region of Brahmani<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>About Mangrove forests in India:<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A <\/span><b>mangrove<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is a shrub or small tree that grows in coastal saline or brackish water <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The term is also used for tropical coastal vegetation consisting of such species. Mangroves occur worldwide in the tropics <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">and subtropics <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0mainly between latitudes 25\u00b0 N and 25\u00b0 S<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mangroves are salt tolerant trees, also called halophytes <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">,<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and are adapted to life in harsh coastal conditions.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">They contain a complex salt filtration system and complex root system to cope with salt water immersion and wave action.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">They are adapted to the low oxygen (anoxic) conditions of waterlogged mud.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Locations in India:<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sundarbans Mangroves: <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Great Sundarbans, the largest mangroves region in the world and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is the largest single block of tidal halophytic mangrove forest in the world, covering parts of Bangladesh&#8217;s Khulna Division and the Indian State of West Bengal.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The deltas of the \u00a0Ganges, Mahanadi, Krishna, Godavari and Kaveri \u00a0rivers are known to contain mangrove forests.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Bhitarkanika Mangroves: Mangroves is India\u2019s second largest forest, located in the state of Odisha. Bhitarkanika is created by the two river deltas of Brahmani and Baitarani river and one of the important Ramsar Wetland in India.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Godavari-Krishna Mangroves:<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Godavari-Krishna mangroves lies in the delta of the Godavari and Krishna \u00a0rivers in the state of Andhra Pradesh Mangroves ecoregion is under protection for Calimere \u00a0Wildlife and <\/span><b>Pulicate Lake Bird Sanctuary<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>Pichavaram Mangroves: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pichavram mangrove is the world&#8217;s second largest mangrove forest, situated at Pichavaram near Chidambaram \u00a0in the state of \u00a0Tamil Nadu. Pichavaram ranks amongst one of the most exquisite scenic spots in Tamil Nadu and home of many species of aquatic bird<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>Baratang Island Mangroves: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">located at Great Andaman and Nicobar Islands.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Significance of Mangroves in India:<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It acts as a shield and protect the coastal inhabitants from tsunamis, storms, cyclones, high waves etc<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It acts as a binding agent for soil and prevent soil erosion<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It provides a live support system to coastal inhabitants.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It acts as a breeding ground for diverse wildlife.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It plays a critical role in nutrient recycling, and in purification of water.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Bhitarakanika has reasons to cheer: Context: The Bhitarakanika National Park situated in Odisha\u2019s Kendrapara district sees an increase in number of visitors during September, considered an off-season. Introduction: National parks in India: National parks in India are IUCN category II protected ares. India\u2019s first national park was established in 1936 as Hailey National Park, now&hellip; <a class=\"more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/bhitarakanika-has-reasons-to-cheer\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Bhitarakanika has reasons to cheer:<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":61,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[555],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-34404","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-test-1","entry"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","views":{"total":0,"cached_at":"","cached_date":1704904841},"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34404","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/61"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=34404"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34404\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=34404"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=34404"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=34404"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}