Chandaka Elephant Sanctuary
| Chandaka Elephant Sanctuary "ଚନ୍ଦକା ହାତୀ ଅଭୟାରଣ୍ୟ" |
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Chandaka Forest and Elephant Reserve
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| Nearest city | Bhubaneswar |
| Coordinates | 20°21′N 85°40′E / 20.350°N 85.667°ECoordinates: 20°21′N 85°40′E / 20.350°N 85.667°E |
| Area | 175.79 square kilometres (67.87 sq mi) |
| Established | 1982 |
| Governing body | Divisional Forest Officer, Chandaka |
Chandka Elephant Sanctuary(Odia: ) is a wildlife reserve located in north western fringe of Bhubaneswar in the Indian state of Odisha. Nestled on Khurdha uplands of 'Eastern Ghats' biotic region, Chandaka forest spread over 175.79 square kilometres (67.87 sq mi) of rolling table land and small sprawling hillocks of Khurdha and Cuttack Districts. It was designated as an elephant reserve in December 1982.
Floral diversity is distributed in 6 types, viz., secondary moist miscellaneous semi-evergreen forests, moist Kangada (Xylia xylocarpa) forests, Coastal Sal forests (Shorea robusta), thorny bamboo brakes (Bambusa bambos), planted Teak and Eupatorium scrub. Main tree species are Kochila, Kalicha, Belo, Kangada, Giringa, Sunari, Sal, Kumbhi, Jamu, Karanja, Teak and Sidha. Male bamboo (Dendrocalamus strictus) has a very restricted distribution. Common medicinal plants of the sanctuary are Duramari, Baidanka (Mucuna pruriens), Brudhadaraka, Bhuinlimbo, Guluchi lata, Salparni (Desmodium gangeticum), Satabari, Bhuin-kakharu, Indrajaba, Thalkudi, Apamaranga, Kurchi, Patalgaruda etc. A few species of ground Orchids, Ferns, Club mosses, Bryophytes and Lichens are distributed in shady wet pockets and rock escarpments.
Indian elephant is the flagship species and indicative of the potential productivity of the habitat.Leopard is in the apex of biological pyramid. Chital, barking deer, mouse deer, wild pig, common langur, rhesus monkey, small Indian civet, common Indian mongoose, small Indian mongoose, ruddy mongoose, pangolin, sloth bear, ratel, Indian wolf and hyena are other mammals of the area. Chital or spotted deers are commonly encountered in groups of 3-7 on forest roads, forest openings, grass lands, foreshore of water bodies and even near guard camps. Wild dogs are occasionally seen. And after 40 long years researchers have found evidence of a tigress & her cub in the forest, recently in the winters of 2012, they have spotted footprints of those two magnificent creatures.
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Wikipedia