Social Science - AIP

Introduction ~
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 deciduous 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
FLORA
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.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 86 percent,
27,656 square kilometres (10,678 sq mi) of forests are classified as
moderately dense cover with a canopy density of 50 to 70 percent and
20,180 square kilometres (7,790 sq mi) of land are classified as an open
forest with a canopy density of 10 to 40 percent.
Odisha is the vast state of 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
means of smuggling. The State Pollution Control Board has brought a
set of rules to force in order to combat environmental pollution.
Fauna
Chilika Lake is the largest wintering ground for migratory birds, on the Indian
sub-continent. It is one of the hotspots of biodiversity in the country. Some
species listed in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species inhabit the lake for
at least part of their lifecycle.
Migratory water fowl arrive here from as far as the Caspian Sea, Baikal Lake
and remote parts of Russia, Mongolia, Lakah, Siberia, Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan
and from the Himalayas. A census conducted in the winter of 1997–98
recorded about 2 million birds in the lake.
In 2007, nearly 840,000 birds visited the lake, out of which 198,000 were
spotted in Nalbana Island. On 5 January 2008, a bird census involving 85
wildlife officials counted 900,000 birds of which 450,000 were sighted in
Nalabana. Removal of invasive species of freshwater aquatic plants,
especially water hyacinth, due to restoration of salinity, is a contributing factor
for the recent increasing attraction of birds to the lake.
Nalbana Island is the core area of the Ramsar designated
wetlands of Chilika Lake. Nalbana means a weed covered island
In the Odia language.... It is a major island in the centre of the
lake and has an area of 15.53 km2 (6.0 sq mi). The island gets
completely submerged during the monsoon season. As the
monsoon recedes in the winter, lake levels decrease and the
island is gradually exposed, birds flock to the island in large
numbers to feed on its extensive mudflats. Nalbana was notified
in 1987 and declared a bird sanctuary in 1973 under the Wildlife
Protection Act. Large flocks of greater flamingos from Iran and the
Rann of Kutch in Gujarat, feed in the shallow waters of the lake.
Other-long legged waders seen around Nalabana Island are the
lesser flamingos, Goliath herons, grey herons, and purple herons,
egrets, spoonbills, storks and black-headed ibis.

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Introduction ~

Odisha, a state in eastern India, is extremely diverse and gives the

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