Bhubaneswar: A major step towards strengthening wildlife conservation while empowering local women, the Hirakud Wildlife Division has inducted five all-women squads into its forest enforcement unit for the protection of Debrigarh Wildlife Sanctuary, marking a first-of-its-kind initiative in the division. Of the five recruits, four women belong to tribal families from villages located in the…
Bhubaneswar: The Additional Chief Secretary (ACS) of the Forest, Environment and Climate Change (FE&CC) Department on Thursday reviewed the progress of forest diversion clearances for major infrastructure and industrial projects and directed officials to fast-track approvals while strictly adhering to prescribed timelines. The review took place during the third monthly coordination meeting held on December…
Bhubaneswar: In a landmark step toward community-led conservation and sustainable ecotourism, Debrigarh Wildlife Sanctuary today launched rustic homestay facilities in Dhodrokusum village, marking the first-ever homestay initiative in Odisha to be managed directly by forest-dependent communities under the supervision of the Forest Department. Located on the foothills of the sanctuary and adjoining the scenic Hirakud…
Bargarh: For the first time, the Debrigarh Wildlife Sanctuary is set to involve college and school students in the upcoming All India Tiger Estimation (AITE) 2025–26, marking a milestone in participatory wildlife conservation. The initiative aims to inspire the younger generation to actively engage in protecting biodiversity under the theme “Conserve today for a wilder…
Itanagar: A recent biodiversity survey in the remote forests of Upper Siang district, Arunachal Pradesh, has led to the discovery of six butterfly species previously unrecorded in India. The breakthrough highlights the Eastern Himalayas’ unmatched ecological richness and the vital role of community-led conservation in safeguarding it. The discovery was made during a collaborative study…
Bhubaneswar: India has achieved a remarkable milestone in global environmental conservation, securing the 9th position worldwide in terms of total forest area, according to the Global Forest Resources Assessment (GFRA) 2025 released by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in Bali. Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav shared the development on social…
Sambalpur: As part of the celebrations for Wildlife Week 2025, the Debrigarh Wildlife Sanctuary has opened a 2-kilometre-long Birding Trail to the public, offering a refreshing avenue for nature enthusiasts, children, and youth to experience the sanctuary’s avian diversity up close. The newly developed Birding Trail takes trekkers through a scenic route of nallas, streams,…
Bhubaneswar: Preparations are underway for a three-day bird census at Bhitarkanika National Park, scheduled from August 30 to September 1, with a focus on assessing the population and nesting behaviour of colonial nesting birds. The enumeration will be conducted at four major nesting sites—Matha Dia, Laxmiprasad Dia, Durgaprasad Dia, and Bali Dia—spread across the Kanika…
Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi today inaugurated an International Workshop on Best Practices in Human-Elephant Coexistence in Bhubaneswar, underscoring the need for global collaboration to ensure peaceful coexistence between humans and elephants. On this occasion, the Chief Minister announced the establishment of the world’s first “Center for Species Survival: Asian Elephant” at Godibari…
Bhubaneswar: Marking World Elephant Day 2025, Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Tuesday appealed to citizens to join hands in safeguarding elephants — creatures he described as both cultural icons and vital custodians of the state’s ecological balance. “Elephants are an integral and inseparable part of Odisha’s cultural heritage and natural environment. From the…
