Balukhand-Konark Wildlife Sanctuary, Wildlife refuge in Puri district, India.
Balukhand-Konark Wildlife Sanctuary is a coastal wildlife refuge in Odisha, located along the Bay of Bengal between the towns of Puri and Konark. The area combines open sandy beaches with a belt of forest that shelters deer, blackbuck, hyenas, and a wide range of birds.
The sanctuary received its protected status in 1984, though the forest along the coast had been growing for much longer. Casuarina trees were planted in the early 20th century to hold the shoreline together, and that early effort is what laid the foundation for the forest standing here today.
The coastal road running through the sanctuary is also called the Marine Drive, and many people use it as a scenic route between Puri and Konark. Along the way, fishermen spread their nets to dry on the sand, giving the area a lived-in feel rather than a purely wild one.
Coming in the early morning gives you the best chance of seeing animals before the heat of the day sets in. The terrain shifts between soft sand and forest paths, so wear shoes with a solid grip and carry water for the walk.
The forest inside the sanctuary is not a natural forest at all but a man-made one, planted entirely to protect the shoreline from erosion. Despite its artificial origin, it has grown into a functioning ecosystem that now supports wild animals as if it had always been there.
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