Referring to this, Sudarshan Gopinath Yadav, Divisional Forest Officer, Rajnagar Mangrove (wildlife) Forest Division added that the park will allow day visitors and also night stay in cottages and guest houses.
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As reported earlier, the park was shut for three months to ensure disturbance-free annual nesting of crocodiles. It’s said that the reptiles often turn violent and have the tendency to attack intruders during this period.
Important things to remember
Before planning a visit to this place, make sure that you are aware of the ban that has been imposed on use of plastic disposables in protected areas. Also, tourists are advised not to litter plastic bottles or carry polythene, and other items in the forest. The forest officer also added that green protocol has been strictly implemented in the park.
Here, boat journeys along the mangrove-covered water bodies are a major attraction for tourists, whereas on any given day, 350 to 400 visitors make trips via boats.
The highlights of this park
As per the Bhitarkanika National Park authorities, mammals found in the place are wild boar, leopard, hyena, jungle cat, fishing cat, sambar, palm squirrel, gangetic dolphin, whereas reptiles found here are turtles, including Olive Ridley sea turtle, lizard, crocodile, water monitors, python, and king cobra. Also, around 166 species of birds have been spotted in the park.
Bhitarkanika is also a store house of mangrove genes. As per the reports, researchers have come across 11 of the 70 mangrove species in this national park, which were actually facing the threat of extinction in the world.
