About Kuldiha Wildlife Sanctuary:
- It is located in the Balasore District of Odisha within the Eastern Ghats.
- It is spread across 272 sq.km. in the Chota Nagpur Plateau region.
- It is part of the larger Similipal-Kuldiha-Hadgarh Elephant Reserve, making it a crucial habitat for the conservation of elephants in the region.
- It is connected with Simlipal Tiger Reserve via Nato and Sukhupada Hill ranges.
- It features a network of streams, including the Kuldiha stream and its tributaries.
- Vegetation: Kuldiha sanctuary area, adjoining Nilgiri forest in the North and Mayurbhanj Forest in the West, is a typical representative of a mixture of peninsular (coastal) Sal forest and moist mixed deciduous forest.
- Flora: The sanctuary boasts a rich diversity of flora, including dense forests of sal (Shorea robusta), jamun (Syzygium cumini), piyasal (Pterocarpus marsupium), bahera (Terminalia bellirica), mango (Mangifera indica), and simul (Bombax ceiba).
- Fauna:
- It is home to a number of endangered and threatened wild animal species like Asiatic Elephant, Leopard, Gaur, Mouse deer, Pangolin, Ratel, Giant squirrel, etc.
- Besides that, some endangered bird species like Hill myna, Woodpecker, Hornbill and Eagles are also found in the Sanctuary.
