Environment

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…

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…

Bhubaneswar: Odisha’s famed Bhitarkanika National Park is set to welcome visitors once again from August 1, following a scheduled three-month closure to allow for the safe and undisturbed breeding of estuarine crocodiles. The park had remained off-limits to tourists between May 1 and July 31 as part of the forest department’s conservation efforts. With the…

Bhubaneswar: After a three-month hiatus, Odisha’s iconic Bhitarkanika National Park in Kendrapara district is all set to reopen for tourists from August 1. The park had remained closed from May 1 to July 31 to ensure an undisturbed breeding season for saltwater crocodiles, a key wildlife species thriving in the region’s unique mangrove ecosystem. The…