The state of Odisha and it’s soon to be lost wildlife
Even though some of these species are vanished, others are vulnerable or even severely endangered.
There are numerous animal species that are in risk of extinction in the globe, and Odisha is home to many of them. Even though some of these species are vanished, others are vulnerable or even severely endangered.
If nothing is done for their survival, there are certain species that are left in such small numbers that future generations would never see them.
In this article, let us bring some of the rarest and endangered species that are still somewhere in the state but are on their ways to be lost completely from this planet.
Forest Owl
The owl may be found in various areas of Odisha. The history of the bird is fascinating. It was defeated almost a century ago. Salim Ali, a well-known ornithologist in India, appealed to the public to seek for the bird after decades of not finding it. The owl was rediscovered in 1997 after 113 years and was added to the list of Indian birds. Typically, these birds are found in dry deciduous forests. Forest owls and their nests suffer harm from tree cutting, burning and pruning of trees.
Spoon billed sandpiper
Along with West Bengal, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu, Spoon-billed Sandpipers may also be found in Odisha. The bird’s population has always been restricted by its need for extremely specialised nesting habitat. Some of this species’ final remaining wintering sites are located in Odisha. They are mostly threatened by human disturbance, habitat deterioration, and land reclamation.
Royal Bengal tiger
Panthera tigris populations on the Indian subcontinent include the Royal Bengal Tiger. In Odisha, few such beasts are present. On the IUCN Red List, it has been classified as endangered since 2008. The State’s estimated tiger population was 28 in 2018, remaining constant from 2014. Poaching, habitat loss, and fragmentation pose threats to it.
Black buck
Local names for this animal in Odia include krushnasar mirga, bali harina, and kala bahutia. Blackbucks can only be found in the Balukhand-Konark coastal plain, the Puri District wildlife sanctuary, and Balipadar-Bhetnoi and surrounding regions in the Ganjam District. The estimated Blackbuck population in Odisha is between 800 and 900. Blackbuck populations are drastically decreasing as a result of overhunting, deforestation, and habitat degradation. According to Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972, hunting blackbuck is forbidden.
The hawksbill turtle
It is an overfished species. The species is migratory and lays its eggs in over 70 different countries globally, including Odisha. The species takes a long time to mature, around 25 to 40 years. They may be found in India on the coasts of Tamil Nadu, Odisha, and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The trade in turtle shells, egg harvesting, meat harvesting, water pollution, and habitat damage for nesting and foraging are the greatest threats to the species.
Gharial
Found in Odisha, gharials are one of the state’s endangered animals. The tragedy of our rivers is reflected in the deplorable state of the gharial. The combined impacts of dams, barrages, artificial embankments, altered river courses, pollution, and sand mining pose the biggest dangers to gharials.
Irrawaddy dolphins
In Odisha’s Chilika Lake, you may see irrawaddy dolphins. Specific populations of bottlenose dolphins are threatened by human activity, including illegal killing, a lack of food owing to overfishing, fishing nets, and marine pollution, even if they may not be in danger of extinction in the near future.
Pangolin
Odisha is said to be one of the pangolin’s last remaining strongholds. The pangolin is the most heavily trafficked animal in the world. These little defenders have endured thousands of years of natural change, but unlawful poaching and habitat destruction have brought them dangerously close to extinction.
Elephants
In Odisha, elephants are practically extinct and face an unknown and perilous future. Elephants, once the pride of Odisha, now view the State as a cemetery. Wildlife specialists claim that the State has become an elephant graveyard as a result of the purported alliance between poachers and forest officials. under Odisha, our national treasure’s safety is under jeopardy.
In the vibrant land of Odisha, we may see a variety of wild creatures but we must keep this in mind that they are going to be vanished from the land one day and the day is nowhere far.
