Centre seeks heritage tag for Bhitarkanika

BHUBANESWAR: If everything goes according to plan then Bhitarakanika mangrove forest will soon get the world heritage status, something no natural resource in Orissa has achieved.
The Central government has short listed the 2154.26 sq km rare forest for final presentation before the Unesco for the purpose. Officials said the Dehradun-based Wildlife Institute of India (WII) was assigned to push had been assigned push Bhitarakanika's cause.
An official communication received here from the ministry of environment and forest indicated that Bhitarakanika will compete with three other natural resources -- Great Himalayan National Park, Uttarakhand; Neora Valley National Park, West Bengal and Desert National Park, Rajasthan -- to get the global tag.
"Given Bhitarakanika's unique feature, it stands far ahead of others. We are confident of getting the world heritage status," chief wildlife warden B K Patnaik said.
Bhitarakanika conservation area in the Mahanadi-Baitarani-Bramhani delta region under Kendrapada district is a unique natural resource comprising terrestrial, fresh water, estuarine and marine eco-systems. It has 52 pure mangrove species out of 58 varieties seen in India. It is the home of over 1,500 salt water crocodiles, including the 20-foot-long (the largest one mentioned in the Guinness Book of World Records.)
The forest also serves as the mass rookery of the endangered Olive Ridley turtles and boasts of one of country's largest heronry. Every year, more than 60 species of migratory birds visit Bhitarakanika. The mangrove forest beside having a host of animals like deer, somber, wild boar and reptiles, fish and native birds has also eight varieties of king fisher birds. There are nearly 2000 Dalei tribes residing in the area. Bhitarakanika s role does end there. It has all along worked as a huge protecting wall saving the region from repeated cyclones.
"I had earlier made a presentation highlighting how this seaside forest is unique in character and deserved world heritage status. It was widely appreciated. The ministry meanwhile has sought some more information. We will send soon," he pointed out. "If Bhitarakanika is accorded the world heritage status it would open the flood gate for world
tourists to visit the place and experience the rare natural resource," the chief wildlife warden added.