**2. About Bhitarkanika National Park and Bhitarkanika wildlife sanctuary**

This National Park has been declared by the Department of Forest and Environment; Government of Odisha vide Notification No.19686/F & E dated 16.9.1998 with an area Covering 145 sq. km area that is notified as Bhitarkanika National Park. The national park is popular because of its ecological significance coupled with a biological background. It mainly comprises estuarine crocodile, mangrove forest, backwaters, river creeks etc. Bhitarkanika Wildlife Sanctuary was declared vide notification No.6958/FF AH dated. 22.04.1975 with an area of 672 sq. km. of mangrove forest & wetland that provides a home to well over 215 species of birds including winter migrants from central-Asia and Europe. Giant saltwater crocodiles and a variety of other wildlife inhabitants in this ecosystem make this place unique as Asia's one of the most spectacular wildlife areas [3].

The major resources of Bhitarkanika Wildlife sanctuary are the popular mangrove forest and the endangered saltwater crocodile. Apart from the above, the mangrove forest is also a good habitat for the king cobra, Indian python and water monitored lizard. In the year 2002, the Bhitarkanika mangroves with an area of 2672 sq. km. has been declared as a *Ramsar site* being a place of having wetland international importance by Wetland International, South Asia [4].
