• Jan 25 2016
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Hadagarh Wildlife Sanctuary

Hadgarh Wildlife Sanctuary wildlife sanctuary situated Keonjhar district in Odisha, India, covering an area of 191 km2 was established in 1978. The sanctuary was declared vide F.F.A.H. notification dated the 6th December 1978 S.R.O. No.213/80 – In exercise of powers conferred by Section 18 of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 (53 of 1972), the State Government. Executive orders declared the most important and large forest blocks as reserved forests during the 1910-15 settlement operation. Forest blocks, i.e., Benamunda, Bandhanjhari, and Ranibeda, were reserved during 1925-26. The proposal for constituting Hadagarh sanctuary was initiated during 1976-77 when the task force committee on crocodile farming in Orissa decided to release the mugger (freshwater crocodile) in the reservoir of Salandi dam (Hadagarh) because of favorable climatic conditions for that species. It was decided to declare the reservoir and peripheral forests under Anandapur and Karanjia Forest Division as sanctuary and suspend the rights of local people under the Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972. Thus the Hadagarh sanctuary came into existence by notification no. SF (W) - 160/78- 34113/FFAH dated 6.12.78 of Forest Department, Orissa. The above sanctuary comprises Boula RF in  Anandapur and Satakosia R.F. (part) of Karanjia Forest Divisions. Later, its potential as an elephant reserve was recognized, and improvement work was started through Project Elephant to develop the sanctuary. Now, this sanctuary has been included in Mayurbhanj Elephant Reserve.