Debrigarh Wildlife Sanctuary: Proposed Gaur National Park
Why in the news
The Odisha government put forward a plan to give higher protection to a sanctuary by converting it into a national park focused on the Indian gaur.
Key facts
- Proposed name: Debrigarh-Gaur National Park.
- District: Bargarh, Odisha.
- Sits along the Hirakud Reservoir, created by the Hirakud Dam on the Mahanadi.
- Total area 353 sq km; about 290.65 sq km proposed as the core park.
- The proposed park area has no human settlements or livestock.
About the sanctuary
- Vegetation: tropical dry deciduous forest, grasslands, rocky hills, valleys and seasonal streams.
- Historical link: freedom fighter Veer Surendra Sai used its forests as a base against British rule.
Exam angle
- Flagship species: Indian gaur.
- Water body nearby: Hirakud Reservoir (Mahanadi).
- Forest type: tropical dry deciduous.