Bhitarkanika National Park

The park encompasses 672 square kilometers of mangrove forests, tidal rivers, and mudflats forming an extensive estuarine ecosystem on India's east coast.

The area served as hunting grounds for the kings of Kanika before its designation as a national park in 1975 to protect regional biodiversity.

Local communities maintain traditional practices of fishing and honey collection within the mangrove forests, sustaining their livelihoods through these natural resources.

Guided boat tours through the rivers and canals operate between October and March, when temperatures are moderate and migratory birds arrive.

The national park hosts one of India's largest populations of saltwater crocodiles, which thrive in the brackish waters of the mangrove ecosystem.

Location: Kendrapara district

Inception: 1975

GPS coordinates: 20.66250,86.93410

Latest update: June 7, 2025 19:42