Bhubaneswar: The Hirakud Wildlife Division has intensified protection measures at Debrigarh Wildlife Sanctuary for the monsoon season by issuing a comprehensive Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to strengthen surveillance, prevent wildlife crime and improve emergency response from July to October. The SOP comes as the onset of monsoon increases conservation challenges in the 353 sq km…
Bhubaneswar: Odisha’s Hirakud Wetland, a recognised Ramsar Site, has recorded a remarkable rise in summer bird nesting activity in 2026, signalling improving ecological conditions and the growing impact of sustained conservation efforts across the wetland ecosystem. Fresh assessments carried out in June this year revealed that 19 bird species nested across the wetland and adjoining…
Bhubaneswar: Odisha has taken a major step in wildlife conservation with its first-ever house sparrow census, documenting a total of 83,576 birds across the state during 2025–26. The survey, conducted by the Wildlife Foundation Bhubaneswar, revealed a striking regional variation in sparrow populations. Sonepur district emerged as the hotspot, recording over 30,000 sparrows, while coastal…
Bhubaneswar: Bhitarkanika National Park, known for its population of giant saltwater crocodiles, will remain closed to tourists from May 1 to July 31 to facilitate the annual breeding and nesting season of the reptiles. The closure order has been issued by the Rajnagar Forest Division to ensure a disturbance-free habitat during this critical period. Officials…
Bhubaneswar: Debrigarh Wildlife Sanctuary has achieved a major milestone in 2025–26, recording its highest-ever revenue of ₹6.02 crore and attracting nearly 1.4 lakh tourists, reaffirming its growing stature as one of India’s emerging wildlife and eco-tourism destinations. The figures mark a sharp rise from the previous financial year (2024–25), when the destination generated ₹5.01 crore…
Bhubaneswar: Reiterating the importance of forests in sustainable development, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Saturday underscored Odisha’s progress in expanding green cover and conserving biodiversity while attending a programme marking the International Day of Forests at the Lok Seva Bhawan Convention Centre. The Chief Minister reviewed a photo exhibition highlighting the state’s forest initiatives…
Berhampur: Thousands of Olive Ridley sea turtles arrived at the Rushikulya river mouth early Sunday morning, marking the beginning of the annual mass nesting season along Odisha’s coast. Forest officials said around 10,220 female turtles emerged from the Bay of Bengal and laid eggs along a 2.5-km stretch of beach near the river mouth on…
Bhopal: A Namibian cheetah, Jwala the cheetah, has given birth to five cubs at Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh, marking another significant milestone in India’s cheetah conservation efforts. Announcing the development, Union Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Bhupender Yadav said the birth has taken the number of cheetah cubs born in India to…
Bhubaneswar: In a significant step towards strengthening wildlife conservation and ensuring community safety, the Odisha government on Friday held a high-level workshop on human-wildlife conflict mitigation at the State Convention Centre, Lok Seva Bhawan. Presiding over the session via video conference, Minister for Forest, Environment and Climate Change, Ganesh Ram Singkhuntia, proposed the introduction of…
Bhubaneswar: Odisha’s Bhitarkanika National Park continues to strengthen its status as a major habitat for saltwater crocodiles, with the latest census showing a rise of 32 crocodiles over the past year, reflecting sustained conservation efforts in the region. The Forest, Environment and Climate Change Department on Monday announced that the annual estuarine crocodile census recorded…
