Hadgarh Wildlife Sanctuary

Hadgarh Wildlife Sanctuary[1]
IUCN category IV (habitat/species management area)
Hadgarh dam on river Salandi
Location of Hadgarh Wildlife Sanctuary in Odisha
Nearest city	Bhadrak
Coordinates	21.289335°N 86.320443°E / 21.289335; 86.320443
Area	191.05 km^2 (73.76 sq mi)
Designation	Wildlife Sanctuary
Designated	3 December 1978 (1978-12-03)[2]
Governing body	Divisional Forest Officer,Kendujhar Division, Kendujhar district, Ministry of Forest and Environment, Government of Odisha[2]
www.wildlife.odisha.gov.in/WebPortal/PA_Hadgarh.aspx

Hadgarh Wildlife Sanctuary wildlife sanctuary situated Keonjhar district in Odisha, India, covering an area of 191 km² was established in 1978. The sanctuary was declared vide F.F.A.H. notification dated the 6th December 1978 S.R.O. No.213/80 – In exercise of powers conferred by Section 18 of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 (53 of 1972), the State Government. Executive orders declared the most important and large forest blocks as reserved forests during the 1910-15 settlement operation. Forest blocks, i.e., Benamunda, Bandhanjhari, and Ranibeda, were reserved during 1925-26. The proposal for constituting Hadagarh sanctuary was initiated during 1976-77 when the task force committee on crocodile farming in Orissa decided to release the mugger (freshwater crocodile) in the reservoir of Salandi dam (Hadagarh) because of favorable climatic conditions for that species. It was decided to declare the reservoir and peripheral forests under Anandapur and Karanjia Forest Division as sanctuary and suspend the rights of local people under the Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972. Thus the Hadagarh sanctuary came into existence by notification no. SF (W) - 160/78- 34113/FFAH dated 6.12.78 of Forest Department, Orissa. The above sanctuary comprises Boula RF in  Anandapur and Satakosia R.F. (part) of Karanjia Forest Divisions. Later, its potential as an elephant reserve was recognized, and improvement work was started through Project Elephant to develop the sanctuary. Now, this sanctuary has been included in Mayurbhanj Elephant Reserve.

The sanctuary lies in the catchment of Salandi river, a major tributary of the river Baitarani. Besides the Salandi river, the other perennial and seasonal streams are Mukta stream, Ghagara stream, Pitanau stream, Andheri stream, Suranga stream, Chakratirtha stream and Bentokholi stream. A large stagnant water body (31.83 km2) of river Salandi, called Hadagarh reservoir is located inside the Sanctuary and is the important wetlands of this Sanctuary that attracts a variety of water birds both migratory and resident.^{[citation needed]} Hadgarh sanctuary is linked to Similipal tiger reserve and Kuldiha wildlife sanctuary.^{[citation needed]}

It is located on the Chota Nagpur Plateau in northeastern Odisha. The primary plant community is mixed deciduous forests, including Sal (Shorea robusta).^[3] It is in the Eastern Highlands moist deciduous forests ecoregion. The Salandi River here flows between two mountains, the Hadgarh Dam was not accidentally built right here, today it is the biggest tourist attraction of this area.^[4]

This sanctuary has a wide range of fauna, such as leopard, tiger, fishing cat, jungle cat, langur, pangolin, wolf and hyena.^{[5][citation needed]}.^[6] The sanctuary is home to 156 bird species from 56 families.^[7]

Description

15km
10miles

Joranda

O

Barehipani

O

Kuldiha

WS

Hadagarh

WS

Similipal

WS

Suleipat

WR

Bankbol

WR

Salandi

WR

Sunei

WR

Kalo

WR

Meghasani

HT

  

Important location of Similipal Biosphere
WS: Wildlife Sanctuary, WR: Water Reservoir, HT: Hill Top, O: Other Importance
Note: Owing to space constraints in the small map, the actual locations in a larger map may vary slightly

Hadgarh Wildlife Sanctuary map, green and blue colors show forest cover and waterbody, respectively.

References

1. "Hadgarh". Protected Planet. Retrieved 25 September 2019.
2. "Hadgarh PA :: Odisha Wildlife Organisation". Welcome. Retrieved 25 September 2019.
3. Negi, S.S. (1993). Biodiversity and its conservation in India. New Delhi: Indus. p. 241. ISBN 8185182884.
4. Rai, Prasant (17 October 2020). "Hadgarh Wildlife Sanctuary". Eliciting Odisha. Retrieved 2 June 2021.
5. "Hadgarh PA :: Odisha Wildlife Organisation". www.wildlife.odisha.gov.in. Retrieved 2 June 2021.
6. Sahu, Parida, Dutta, Mohapatra, Palei, Hemanta, Bijay, Sushil, Pratyush, Himanshu (2012). Vertebrate fauna of Hadagarh Wildlife Sanctaury (1st ed.). Himalaya Publishing House. ISBN 978-9350515396.
7. Palei, Himanshu Shekhar; Mohapatra, Pratyush P.; Sahu, Hemanta K. (March 2012). "Birds of Hadagarh Wildlife Sanctuary, Odisha, Eastern India". World Journal of Zoology. 7 (3) – via ResearchGate.