Attention Nature-Lovers! You can now visit this uninhabited Odisha island
What's the story
Nature lovers now have a reason to rejoice as the Odisha government has prepped up the idyllic Habelikhati Island at Bhitarkanika National Park (BNP) for "eco-tourism".
Habelikhati, an uninhabited territory in Kendrapara district, is a nature's paradise with dense forest cover and virgin sea encircling the island, said Bimal Prasanna Acharya, the divisional forest officer of Rajnagar Mangrove (wildlife) Forest Division.
Here's more.
Guest Houses
Guest houses will make the island an eco-tourism destination
Elaborating on the facilities, the forest official said that three well-furnished guest houses have come up on the island, ready to host visitors from November 1.
"With this new facility, the island would become a favored eco-tourism destination, both for the domestic and the international visitors," the DFO said.
The earlier built tourist-cottage on the island was ravaged by marauding sea waves, he said.
Do you know?
Get ready to see Olive Ridley sea-turtles at the island
The island is also a favored nesting ground for endangered Olive Ridley sea turtles. "One could come across the breathtaking sight of turtles invading the beach en masse to lay eggs by digging pits with their flippers. The turtles are sighted during February-March," Acharya said.
Wildlife species
Area covering the island is home to various wild animals
Besides, Habelikhati will make for an ideal spot to sight Gangetic dolphins, the forest official said.
"Bhitarakanika National Park is one of the richest storehouses of mangrove genes. The green cover bordering the island is home to wild boar, jungle cat, fishing cat, hyena, sambar, striped palm squirrel, and water monitors."
It's about half-an-hour journey from the national park to the island on boats.