North India ! South India ! East India  !  west India

       Bhitarkanika Wildlife & Eco Tourism

Destination

Rajasthan
Orissa
Sikkim
Kerala
Nepal
Bhutan
Mumbai
Delhi
Jaipur
Agra
Varanasi
Chennai
Kolkata
Ladakh
                 
States of india

Rajasthan Travels Tourism
Himachal Tourism
Gujarat Tourism
Kerala Tourism
Orissa Tourism
Sikkim Tourism
Arunanchal Tourism
Nagaland Tourism
Assam Tourism
Meghalaya Tourism

                
Wildlife Tour

Bandipur National Park
Bandhavgarh National Park
Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary
Bhitarkanika wildlife Eco Tourism
Chilika Birds Sanctuary
Corbett National Park
Kanha National Park
Kaziranga National Park
Panna National Park
Pench National Park
Periyar National park
Sariska Wildlife Sanctuary
Similipal National Park
Sunderban Wildlife Sanctuary

                
India Tribal Tour

Arunanchal Pradesh Tribal Tour
Chhatisgarh Tribal Tour
Gujarat tribal tours
Ladakh Tribal tour
Chatisgarh_Madhypradesh 
Orissa Tribal Tour
Rajasthan Tribal Tour

Festivals

Rajasthan Pushkar Festivals
Orissa Car Festival/Puri Festivals
Tribal Orissa Parab Festivals
Nagaland Festivals
Arunachal Festivals

                
India Hotel

Delhi Hotel
Chennai Hotel
Mumbai Hotel
Kolkata Hotel
Shimla Hotel
Puri Hotel
Goa Hotel

                
India Tour Packages

India tour programmes
Delhi Agra
RajasthanTour
Southindia Tour
Himalaya
Tribal Tour Orissa
Orissa Sikkim
Wildlife Tour
Sikkim
IndiaNepal
Rajasthan travel
Madhya pradesh tour

Bhitarkanika is a major breeding and wintering place for a multitude of resident and migratory waterbirds and is the east coast's major nursery for brackish water and estuarine fish fauna. It supports a wide variety of wetland habitats ranging from tidal rivers and creeks to riverine islands and intertidal zones, apart from coastal wetlands along the eastern boundary. Bhitarkanika mangroves has been designated as a Ramsar Site in November 2002

Justification for Designation as Ramsar Site :
Gahirmatha beach, which forms the eastern boundary of Bhitarkanika Wildlife Sanctuary sup ports the largest known nesting beach of olive ridley sea turtle in the world. Nearly half a million olive ridleys nest every year at Gahirmatha. 
Besides, the coastal waters off Gahirmatha is a major mating area for the olive ridley sea turtle,that migrate to this coast every winter. 
Bhitarkanika supports the highest density of endangered saltwater crocodile in India. Nearly 700 saltwater crocodiles inhabit Bhitarkanika and its associated river systems. 

One of the largest heronries in the country is located here. More than 20,000 birds consisting of 11 species nest in this heronry during June to November every year. 
Bhitarkanika is one of the largest contiguous patches of mangrove forest in the country, representing the Indo-Malayan mangrove community. 

Biodiversity Values:
        Flora
So far 58 species of mangroves have been recorded in India of which 55 are found in Bhitar - kanika. Existence of three species of Rhizophora, Heritiera and Avicennia each and four species of Bruguiera are some of the interesting features of flora of Bhitarkanika. In Bhitarkanika a variety of wild rice grows abundantly in tidal mud flats. Based on the genetic strain of this wild rice, several saline and flood resistant varieties of rice have been developed.

       Fauna
             
Bhitarkanika harbours one of the largest populations of endangered saltwater crocodile in India and is globally unique in that 10 percent of the adults exceed 6 m length. Nearly 700 saltwater crocodiles inhabit the rivers and creeks. Nearly half a million olive ridley sea turtles on an average, nest every year along the Gahirmatha coast of Bhitarkanika. Besides water monitor, which is common, yellow and common monitors are also sympatric here. The mangrove forests and its adjoining wetlands support large number of resident as well as migratory waterfowl. Of the 174 species of birds, 82 breed here and 57 species winter in Bhitarkanika. The endangered lesser adjutant stork also breeds here.
                                  
Bhitarkanika is also home for several mammals. Five species of marine dolphins have been recorded from the area. The common species encountered in this area is the Indo - pacific humpbacked dolphin. Notable among the other mammalian fauna of Bhitarkanika are striped hyaena, fishing cat, jungle cat, smooth - coated otter, civet, Indian porcupine, wild boar, spotted deer and sambar.