Chandaka-Dampara Wildlife Sanctuary

About Chandaka-Dampara Wildlife Sanctuary

• Location: It lies partly within Khurda and partly in Cuttack Districts of Odisha State, and is in close proximity to the state capital, Bhubaneswar.
• It is nestled in the Khordha uplands of the ‘North-Eastern Ghats’ biotic region.
• Spread over 193.39 sq.km of rolling table land and small sprawling hillocks, it is a wildlife sanctuary since August 1982.
• It is known for the successful conservation of elephants, which is the principal species here.
• Vegetation: The floral diversity of the sanctuary is distributed in six types, which include secondary moist miscellaneous semi-evergreen forests, moist Kangada (Xyliaxylocarpa) forests, Coastal Sal forests, thorny bamboo brakes, planted Teak, and Eupatorium scrub.
• There are two water reservoirs, Deras Dam and Jhumka Dam, situated within the sanctuary.
• Flora: The main tree species are Kochila, Kalicha, Belo, Kangada, Giringa, Sunari, Sal, Kumbhi, Jamu, Karanja, Teak, and Sidha.
• Fauna:
  • Apart from elephants, other mammals include Leopard, Chital, Barking deer, Mouse deer, Wild pig, Common langur, Rhesus monkey, small Indian civet, etc.
  • Prominent birds of the sanctuary are Peafowl, Red jungle fowl, Crested serpent eagle, Great horned owl, Black headed oriole, etc.

Q1) What is Xyliaxylocarpa?

Xylia xylocarpa is a species of tree in the family legumes. They have a self-supporting growth form. They have compound, broad leaves. Individuals can grow to 30 m.

Source: Forest department in Odisha plans nocturnal trail in -Dampara Wildlife Sanctuary