Context
In a recent enforcement action aimed at curbing illegal wildlife activities, forest officials arrested four suspected poachers from the Baliguda forest division of the Kotgarh Wildlife Sanctuary in Kandhamal.
About Kotgarh Wildlife Sanctuary
- The Kotgarh Wildlife Sanctuary, located in Odisha’s Kandhamal district, forms part of the Eastern Ghats and is noted for its diverse range of flora and fauna.
- The sanctuary spreads across nearly 399.5 sq. km and features a landscape of hills, valleys, and thick forest cover.
- It mainly consists of moist deciduous forests, along with patches of grasslands that support diverse wildlife habitats.
- A significant human presence exists in the area, with about 52 tribal settlements, including communities such as the Kutia Kondh and Desia Kondh.
- The region supports a wide range of animals, including elephants, tigers, leopards, gaurs, sloth bears, sambar deer, chital, and blackbuck, along with many bird and reptile species.
- Among its notable wildlife is the Chousingha, or four-horned antelope, which is considered a key attraction of the sanctuary.
- Reptilian diversity includes rare species such as Forsten’s cat snake (Boiga forsteni).
- The forest cover is dominated by species like sal, sissoo, asan, gamhar, kusum, arjun, dhaura, and mahua, which form the core vegetation.
- The area also contains several fruit-bearing trees such as mango, jackfruit, tamarind, and jamun, which contribute to the forest ecosystem.
- In addition, the sanctuary is important for its medicinal plant diversity, including species like Abutilon indicum, Cissus quadrangularis, Crateva magna, and Cycas sphaerica.
