In this article we are giving information on Bhitarkanika National Park UPSC. What are mangroves? Where are they found? Its importance to the nature. What are the threats to the forests?
Mangroves are shrubs and trees that grow in the tropical coastal areas especially near the estuaries of major rivers. The specific region where these plants grow is known as a mangrove ecosystem. We are giving here 10 Lines on Mangroves.
Bhitarkanika National Park upsc
Bhitarkanika Mangrooves upsc
Bhitarkanika National Park is the second largest Mangrove ecosystems of India. Spread in a vast area of 672 Kms in Orissa ,it is also home to eight varieties of Kingfisher birds and hundreds of birds have made their colony in the creek for nesting. In the east of the sanctuary lies the Gahirmatha Beach and it is the largest colony of the Olive Ridley Sea Turtles.
Bhitarkanika National Park gets water from rivers like Brahmani, Baitarani, Dhamra and Patasala which is also breeding place for the Salt Water Crocodiles.Because of its proximity to Bay of Bengal the soil of the area is enriched with salts and the vegetation and the variety of species of the sanctuary are typically of those found in the tropical and subtropical inter tidal regions.The other unique phenomenon is the Bagagahana or the heronry near Surajpore creek.
What are the Bhitarkanika Issues?
Crocodiles sometimes enter human settlement and get caught in the fishing nets which claims their lives and around 50 peopple have been killed since 2012 due to crocodile attack. Crocodile is a territorial aquatic reptile, that means too many crocodiles can’t live in a small area as there will be increased competition for food, mating partners, basking sites.
In 1991 ,The Union Ministry of Forest and Environment had directed the state forest department to stop the crocodile rearing programme in Bhitarkanika due to the saturation point reached by crocodile population. In 1995 the forest department had stopped the crocodile breeding and release programme in the park as the crocodile population had reached around 1,000, from 94 in 1975.
What is Bhitarkanika Crocodile Conservation Project?
The crocodile conservation project in Bhitarkanika was started in 1975.Its main objective was to protect the crocodile natural habitats and to rebuild the population quickly through captive breeding as the survival rate of crocodile hatchlings in nature is low.
Odisha is recognized for the existence of all the three species of Indian crocodilians, the Gharial and Saltwater crocodile conservation programme was first implemented in Odisha in early 1975 and following the Mugger conservation programme was initiated.
The UNDP/ FAO provided funds and other technical support through the Government of India.
Mangroves in India upsc
1 Mangroves are shrubs and trees that grow in the tropical coastal area especially near the estuaries of major rivers.
2 The specific region where these plants grow is known as a mangrove ecosystem.
3 Mangroves are found worldwide but they are largely and dominantly present in the southeast Asia. With 6.8% of the world’s mangrove cover.
4 The height of the mangroves forest is typically 8-20 meters, the leaves are thick, and their roots grow in salty soil underwater.
5 These forests are hardy meaning they can survive harsh conditions with low oxygen soils, their roots taking nitrogen and oxygen from the air.
6 Mangroves store fresh water in their thick succulent leaves similar to desert plants.
7 Sundarbans in West Bengal has the world’s largest mangroves areas.
8 Mangroves forests help in stabilizing the coastline, protect the coastline from storms and reducing soil erosion.
9 These forests survive and flourish in the salty muddy waterlogged along the coastal areas in which many plants do not survive.
10 Mangroves roots rise above the ground to take in gases like oxygen from the air.
Which is the first largest mangrove forest in India?
Largest mangrove forest in India. The Sundarbans mangrove forest is the largest mangrove forests in India. It lies on the delta of the Ganga, Brahmaputra and Meghna rivers on the Bay of Bengal.
The Sundarbans is home to 58 species of mammals, 55 species of reptiles and around 248 bird species. The forest has been enlisted in the UNESCO World Heritage Sites and is the home to the Bengal Tigers.
Which is the second largest mangrove forest in India?
Second largest mangrove forest in India Bhitarkanika mangroves which is located in the state of Odisha is India’s second largest forest in India. It has been created by the deltas of two rivers Brahmani and Baitarani and it is one of the important wetlands Ramsar Wetland in India.
In India where are mangroves found?
1 Where in India do we find mangroves? The Sundarbans delta that lies at the mouth of the river Ganga is the largest mangrove forest in the world.
2 Andaman – Nicobar islands and the gulf of Kutch in gujarat also have large mangrove ecosystems. There are smaller mangrove forests along the entire coastline.
3 Over 1600 plant and 3700 animals species have been identified in these areas. In Mumbai, mangroves are found in many creeks in Konkan region such as Jaitapur, Malvan etc.
4 Mangroves grow along India’s coast like Sundarbans in West Bengal, , Chilka lake in Orissa, the deltas of Godavari and Krishna, Bhitarkanika in Orissa and Pulicat along the east coast, and Vembanad in Kerala, Kundapur in Karnataka, Honnavar in Karnataka, Malvan in Gujarat.
Importance of Mangroves upsc
1 What are the different uses of the mangrove forests? Mangroves play a very important role during storms as they protect the coastline from excessive water flooding.
2 They protect the coastal areas from storm, winds and tsunami waves acting as a buffer between land and water.
3 Mangroves forests are a rich source of biodiversity with varied features to help scientists with experiments and studies.
4 Mangroves forests provide us with timber and wood and their leaves serve fodder for animals.
5 Mangroves forests also serve medicinal uses and purposes.
6 Mangroves ecosystem act as a barrier against natural hazards like cyclone tsunami storm surges and soil erosion.
7 A large variety of fishes amphibians and reptiles flourish in the forests.
8 Mangroves are useful for captive and culture fisheries.
9 The timber is used as fuel wood and also to build boats jetties and houses and other submerged structures because many mangroves are resistant to rot and fungi.
10 Many mangroves have medicinal properties.
What are the threats to the mangroves forests?
1 Human encroachment to the coastal areas for commercial need is the primary threat to the mangroves forests
2 Secondly, factory waste and industrial sewage, oil pollution, pesticides and improper disposal of wastage poses threat to these trees.
3 Deforestation for timber and wood cause these trees to reduce in number in nature.
4 There is massive destruction of mangroves ecosystems because of shrimp farming
5 Reclamation of land to build houses and indiscriminate cutting down of mangrove forests have all caused irreparable damage to this sensitive ecosystem.
Bhitarkanika mangroves
1 Bhitarkanika mangroves is a mangrove wetland in Odisha, India covering an area of around 650 km along the Brahmani River.
2 Along the Indian coast it is one of the famous known wildlife sanctuary in India. About 62 mangrove species are found occur in the Bhitarkanika Mangroves.
3 After Sundarbans in west Bengal Bhitarkanika is India’s second largest mangrove ecosystem.
Bhitarkanika mangrove forests hosts largest congregation of the endangered Saltwater Crocodile in the country.
4 It also is home to various reptiles, python etc. and animals like deer, wild boars and various migratory birds also come here in the winter season.
Pichavaram Mangrove Forest upsc
1 Pichavaram is village near Chidambaram in Cuddalore district, Tamil Nadu.India. It is 243 km away from Chennai and 15km distance from Chidambaram.
2 It consists of number of islands having large areas of water covered with mangroves forests. The Pichavaram mangrove forest is one of the largest mangrove forests in India covering area around 45 sq km.
3 The Pichavaram Mangrove Forest near Chidambaram is the world’s second largest mangrove forest after the Sundarbans.
The forest is spread over 1,100 hectares and joins the Bay of Bengal, it is separated by sand bank.
4 The forest has more than 50 islands of various sizes The mangroves attracts migrants and local birds including egrets, storks, herons, spoonbills and pelicans.
5 About 177 species of birds belonging to 15 orders and 41 families have been recorded. The mangrove forest can be explored through row boat or motor boat.
International Day for the Conservation of the Mangrove Ecosystem
The the International Day for the Conservation of the Mangrove Ecosystem is celebrated on July 26. The main goal of this day is to promote the preservation and sustainable development of mangroves forests. The day also aims to promote sustainable methods for maintaining, protecting, and using natural ecosystems. This International Day was formally established by the UNESCO General Conference in 2015