Odisha, a state in eastern India, is extremely diverse and gives the state abundance of natural beauty and wildlife. The districts in the interior are thickly covered by tropical moist deciduous and tropical dry deciduous forests. The hills, plateaus and isolated areas of the northeastern part of the state are covered by the tropical moist deciduous forests whereas the dry deciduos forests are located in the southwest region of the state.
Flora & Fauna
Odisha, a state in eastern India, is extremely diverse and gives the state abundance of natural beauty and wildlife. The districts in the interior are thickly covered by tropical moist deciduous and tropical dry deciduous forests. The hills, plateaus and isolated areas of the northeastern part of the state are covered by the tropical moist deciduous forests whereas the dry deciduos forests are located in the southwest region of the state. Some of the trees which grow in abundance in Odisha are bamboo, teak, rosewood, sal, piasal, sanghvan and haldi. There are 479 species of birds, 86 species of mammals, 19 species of amphibians and 110 species of reptiles present in Odisha. The state is also an important habitat for the endangered olive ridley turtles and Irrawaddy dolphins. Koraput district of southern Odisha has been identified by Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of UN as Global Agricultural Heritage site which is among only other three sites in the world. Other sites are in Peru, China and Philippines.
Almost one-third of Odisha is covered by forests which make up about 37.34% of the total land area of the state. These forests cover most of southern and western Odisha. The eastern plains adjacent to the coast are covered by farmlands.
Forest cover, Raghurajpur, Odisha
The forest cover of Odisha extends over an area of 58,136.869 square kilometres out of which reserve forests make up an area of 26,329.12 square kilometres (10,165.73 sq mi), demarcated protected forests make up 11,687.079 square kilometres (4,512.406 sq mi) and undemarcated protected forests make up 3,638.78 square kilometres (1,404.94 sq mi). Other types of forests make up 16,261.34 square kilometres (6,278.54 sq mi) while unclassed forests make up 20.55 square kilometres (7.93 sq mi) of the total forest cover. Bon Jour The State Government of Odisha also classifies forests based on their density. About 538 square kilometres (208 sq mi) of land are classified as very dense forests with a canopy density of over 70 percent, 27,656 square kilometres (10,678 sq mi) of forests are classified as moderately dense cover with a canopy density of 40 to 70 percent and 20,180 square kilometres (7,790 sq mi) of land are classified as open forest with a canopy density of 10 to 40 percent.
Odisha is the waste state plants and animals. Odisha's forests yield large quantities of teak and bamboo. Teak, apart from medicinal plants and kendu leaves contribute substantially towards Odisha's economy. Odisha's forest ecosystem has been greatly affected by deforestation and illegal smuggling and poaching. The state government has established the Odisha Forest Development Corporation to combat the menace of smuggling. The State Pollution Control Board has brought a set of rules to force in order to combat environmental pollution.
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Fauna
Olive Ridley Turtle
Olive Ridley
Olive ridley sea turtles are considered the most abundant, yet globally they have declined by more than 30% from historic levels. These turtles are considered endangered because of their few remaining nesting sites in the world.As the olive ridley hatchlings make their way to the ocean, they have a low chance of survival, facing threats from predators such as seabirds, crabs and fish
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Gharial
Gharial
The Gharial is not a man-eater. Despite its immense size, its thin, fragile jaws make it physically incapable of devouring any large animal, including a human being. The myth that gharials eat humans may come partly from their similar appearance to crocodiles and because jewelry has been found in the digestive system.
The gharial normally attains a length of about 12 to 15 feet (3.7 to 4.6 meters). It does not attack humans but apparently does feed on corpses set afloat in funeral ceremonies on the Ganges River.
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Blue Crab
Blue Crab
A blue crab has white meat which has a mild, salty ocean flavor with a subtle sweet undertone. The backfin meat offers the prime morsel, which is delicate, flaky, and tender.The blue crab that we showed today is actually a one in a billion chance," she said. "This is a genetic mutation that occurs, very rare." Much like chameleons or flounder, crabs have chromatophores which allow them to change color and fool predators
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Asian Elephant
Asian Elephants
The Asian elephant, also known as the Asiatic elephant, is the only living species of the genus Elephas and is distributed throughout the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia, from India in the west, Nepal in the north, Sumatra in the south, and to Borneo in the east.
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Indian Wolf
Indian Wolf
In modern India, the Indian wolf is distributed across the states of Gujarat, Rajasthan, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh. As of 2004, it is estimated that there are around 2000–3000 Indian wolves in the country
One of the wolves which are spread across peninsular India is the Indian Gray Wolf (Canis lupus pallipes), and the other which is found in the Upper Trans- Himalayan range is the Himalayan wolf or Tibetan wolf (Canis lupus chanco). Wolves are known for their speed and can run up to 45 km/hour
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Irrawaddy Dolphin
Irrawaddy Dolphins
The Mekong River Irrawaddy dolphins inhabit a 118-mile stretch of the river between Cambodia and Lao PDR and are scarce—just 92 individuals are estimated to still exist.
Although sometimes called the Irrawaddy river dolphin, it is not a true river dolphin, but an oceanic dolphin that lives in brackish water near coasts, river mouths, and estuaries.
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Leopard Cat
In 1963, breeder Jean S. Mill crossed domestic cats with the Asian Leopard cat to develop a new hybrid cat breed: the Bengal..
Leopard Cat
In 1963, breeder Jean S. Mill crossed domestic cats with the Asian Leopard cat to develop a new hybrid cat breed: the Bengal. Bengals are domesticated cats that people can keep as ordinary pets. Though Asian Leopard Cats are allowed as pets in some places, they require permits and are subject to strict regulations
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Flora
Devdaru Tree
Devdaru Tree
Devdaru Tree is in great demand as building material because of its durability, rot-resistant character and fine, close grain, which is capable of taking a high polish. Its historical use to construct religious temples and in landscaping around temples is well recorded.
A Devdaru sapling should be planted when weather is cool, humid and cloudy but with no wind. Plant it in well-drained soil in a sunny spot. The hole should be at least three times wider than the tree's root ball. If your soil is clay, the hole should be 2 to 4 inches shallower than the root ball height.
The Devdaru Cedar is a fine textured evergreen tree that makes a good substitute for white pine. ... Due to its messy habits, placement as a street tree should include considering the distance from sidewalks and street paving.
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Sandalwood Tree
Sandalwood Tree
Sandalwood is a class of woods from trees in the genus Santalum. The woods are heavy, yellow, and fine-grained, and, unlike many other aromatic woods, they retain their fragrance for decades. Sandalwood oil is extracted from the woods for use. Sandalwood is often cited as one of the most expensive woods in the world. Both the wood and the oil produce a distinctive fragrance that has been highly valued for centuries. Consequently, some species of these slow-growing trees have suffered over-harvesting in the past.
The bark contains tannin, which is used for dye. Because S. album is highly valued in India and uncontrolled harvesting have cause populations to dwindle in recent years, India has imposed an export ban on Sandalwood and instated conservation measures to protect the species in the country.
While there are over 100 species of sandalwood plants, most varieties are native to India, Hawaii or Australia. Depending on variety and location, sandalwood may grow as 10-foot-tall (3 m.) shrubs or trees up to 30 feet tall (9 m.). They are often found in areas with poor, dry clay or sandy soils.
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Bel Tree
Bel Tree
Bel is believed to be a sacred plant which brings wellness and good luck to home. Placing bel plant in leaving room near a window, brings prosperity and stability. Planting these trees around home or temple is sanctifying and is equivalent to worshiping a Linga with bilva leaves and water.
Climate. Bel tree appreciates direct sunlight nurturing and a warm environment. Since it is from the subtropical regions, it grows better in a warm and humid climate, where summers are hot and dry, and the winters, not very harsh.
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Hibiscus
Hibiscus
Hibiscus plants are known for their large, colorful flowers. These blossoms can make a decorative addition to a home or garden, but they also have medicinal uses. The flowers and leaves can be made into teas and liquid extracts that can help treat a variety of conditions.
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Night Jasmine
Night Jasmine
Night-blooming jasmine (Cestrum nocturnum), also known as night-blooming jessamine, isn't a true jasmine. It's a tropical evergreen in the nightshade family that grows wild in the Caribbean and Central America.
Night jessamine grows best in partial to full sun. Too much shade may cause a lack of blooms, which means a lack of the sweet fragrance its night blooms provide. Night-blooming jasmines are not particular about soil, but they do need to be watered regularly during their first seaso.