Zuko at 07:12, 11 March 2026

2026-03-11T07:12:32Z

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{{Short description|Mangrove wetland in Odisha, India}}
{{Infobox ecoregion
|name = Bhitarkanika Mangroves<ref name="Protected Planet">{{cite web |title=Bhitarkanika Mangroves |website=Protected Planet |url=https://www.protectedplanet.net/bhitarkanika-mangroves-ramsar-site-wetland-of-international-importance |access-date=2019-09-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190925114448/https://www.protectedplanet.net/bhitarkanika-mangroves-ramsar-site-wetland-of-international-importance |archive-date=2019-09-25 |url-status=live }}</ref>
|image =Mangroveforest5.jpg
|image_size =
|image_alt =
|caption =
|map =
|map_size =
|map_alt =
|map_caption =
|biogeographic_realm = [[Indomalayan realm]]
|biome =
|animals = [[saltwater crocodile]], [[olive ridley turtle]]
|bird_species =
|mammal_species =
|border =
|borders =
|area = 650
|country = India
|countries =
|state = Odisha
|region_type =
|elevation =
|coordinates = {{Coord|20.730696|86.866511|region:IN}}
|geology =
|seas = [[Bay of Bengal]]
|rivers = [[Brahmani River]]
|climate = Am
|soil =
|conservation =
|global200 =
|habitat_loss =
|habitat_loss_ref =
|protected =
|protected_ref =
|embedded = {{Designation list
| embed = yes
| designation1 = Ramsar
| designation1_date = 19 August 2002
| designation1_number = 1205<ref>{{Cite web|title=Bhitarkanika Mangroves|website=[[Ramsar Convention|Ramsar]] Sites Information Service|url=https://rsis.ramsar.org/ris/1205|access-date=25 April 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180509221046/https://rsis.ramsar.org/ris/1205|archive-date=9 May 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>}}
}}

'''Bhitarkanika Mangroves ''' is a [[mangrove]] wetland in [[Odisha]], India, covering an area of {{cvt|650|km}} in the [[Brahmani River]] and [[Baitarani River]] deltas.

== History ==
The Bhitarkanika Mangroves were [[zamindari]] forests until 1952, when the government of Odisha abolished the zamindari system, and put the zamindari forests in the control of the state forest department. In 1975, an area of {{cvt|672|km2}} was declared the Bhitarkanika Wildlife Sanctuary. The core area of the sanctuary, with an area of {{cvt|145|km2}}, was declared [[Bhitarkanika National Park]] in September 1998. [[Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary|The Gahirmatha Marine Wildlife Sanctuary]], which bounds the Bhitarkanika Wildlife Sanctuary to the east, was created in September 1997, and encompasses Gahirmatha Beach and an adjacent portion of the [[Bay of Bengal]]. Bhitarkanika Mangroves were designated a [[Ramsar Convention|Ramsar Wetland of International Importance]] in 2002.<ref>{{cite web|title=Ramsar Convention Official site|url=http://www.ramsar.org/cda/en/ramsar-pubs-notes-anno-india/main/ramsar/1-30-168%5E16561_4000_0__|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131212153814/http://www.ramsar.org/cda/en/ramsar-pubs-notes-anno-india/main/ramsar/1-30-168%5E16561_4000_0__|archive-date=2013-12-12}}</ref>

== Flora and fauna==
[[File:Bhitarkanika Mangroves Flora and Fauna 03.JPG|thumb|A saltwater crocodile in Bhitarkanika Mangroves]]
About 62 [[mangrove]] [[species]] occur in the Bhitarkanika Mangroves, including ''[[Avicennia]]'', ''[[Bruguiera]]'', ''[[Heritiera]]'' and ''[[Rhizophora]]''. [[Reptile]]s present in the mangroves include [[saltwater crocodile]], [[king cobra]], [[Indian python]] and [[water monitor]]. Between August 2004 and December 2006, 263 [[bird]] species were recorded, encompassing 147 resident and 99 [[Bird migration|migrant]] species. A [[heronry]] encloses about {{convert|4|ha|abbr=on}}, where 11,287 nests were counted in 2006.<ref name=Gopi2007>{{cite journal |author1=Gopi, G. V. |author2=Pandav, B. |year=2007 |title=Avifauna of Bhitarkanika mangroves, India |journal=Zoos' Print Journal |volume=22 |issue=10 |pages=2839–2847 |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/261207818|doi=10.11609/JoTT.ZPJ.1716.2839-47 |doi-access=free }}</ref>

[[Olive ridley turtle]]s arrive in January to March for nesting at [[Gahirmatha Beach]]. An average of 240,000 nests per season was estimated between 1976 and 1996. Up to 80,000 turtles were captured every year until 1982. Since 1983, collecting and marketing turtles and their eggs has been banned.<ref>{{cite journal |author1=Rajagopalan, M. |author2=Vivekanandan, E. |author3=Pillai, S. K. |author4=Srinath, M. |author5=Bastian, F. |year=1996 |title=Incidental catch of sea turtles in India |journal=Marine Fisheries Information Service |series=Technical and Extension Series |issue=143 |pages=8–17 |url=http://eprints.cmfri.org.in/3817/1/Article_04.pdf |access-date=2019-05-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181102210106/http://eprints.cmfri.org.in/3817/1/Article_04.pdf |archive-date=2018-11-02 |url-status=live }}</ref>

== See also ==

* [[Mangroves in India]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.bhitarkanika.org Bhitarkanika.org] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210411013946/http://www.bhitarkanika.org/ |date=2021-04-11 }}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20060311021043/http://www.wildlifeorissa.org.in/MANGROVES.htm Mangroves of Orissa (Orissa State Forest Department: Wildlife Organisation)]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20080408234233/http://www.wildlifetimes.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=295 Bhitarkanika Trip report - Wildlife Times]
* [http://odialive.com/bhitarkanika-national-park/ Bhitarakanika : Tourists Place in Odisha]
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXYJq-bCIiM YouTube Video]

{{Protected areas of Odisha}}
{{Ramsar sites in India}}

[[Category:Mangrove ecoregions]]
[[Category:Ecoregions of India]]
[[Category:Environment of Odisha]]
[[Category:Forests of Odisha]]
[[Category:Forests of India]]
[[Category:Wildlife sanctuaries in Odisha]]
[[Category:Western Indo-Pacific]]
[[Category:Wetlands of India]]
[[Category:Ramsar sites in India]]
[[Category:Indomalayan ecoregions]]
[[Category:Tourism in Odisha]]

Bhitarkanika Mangroves - Revision history

Zuko at 07:12, 11 March 2026