Tiger Reserves In India

Odisha Sunabeda Tiger Reserve

Sunabeda Tiger Reserve is a popular tiger reserve which is located in the state Orissa. As a proposed tiger reserve, Sunabeda is located in a new district Nuapada. The forest of the area envelops the Nato and Sukhupata hills while integrating together with the Simlipal Wildlife Sanctuary.  This tiger reserve is home to different rare and endangered plants and animals.

11 beautiful waterfalls together with seasonal streams can be found here. This sanctuary covers an area of 600 sq kms while is a perfect habitat for Barasingha. This sanctuary also acts as a home to rare wild buffaloes amid the state of Chhattisgarh and Odisha. This tiger reserve is covered with grass plateau which adjoins the Sitanandi and Udanti sanctuaries in Chhattisgarh.

History

Sunabeda Tiger Reserve was established in the year 1983. It is one of the popular wildlife sanctuaries which are renowned for being a home to different flora and fauna. This tiger reserve extends to a sprawling area of 600 sq kms. As per an estimate of year 2004, this reserve had 36 tigers and 40 leopards. In the year 1996, it started a Tiger Conservation Programme which has been going on till now.

Human habitant is isolated and sparse and can be consolidated so that the developmental benefits are provided to the tribal people in form of better health facilities and education.

In the year 2003, the steering committee of Tiger Project came under the Project Tiger scheme. In the year 2004, the government of Orissa forwarded proposal to Directorate of Project Tiger to the Government of India.

Weather and Best Time to Visit

Sunabeda Tiger Reserve has a pleasant season all through the year. During the monsoon season together with the winter season, you can see a fall in its full flow but in the summer season it gets dried up.

Best Time to Visit

The ideal time to visit Sunabeda Tiger Reserve is from October to February.

Places to Visit

Sunabeda Tiger Reserve is rich in flora and fauna but besides this, there are many other attractions which one can opt to visit like – the 11 magnificent waterfalls, the mystic caves of Ranimuhas, incredible archaeological sites of Giribaman, the bird observation points of Raital and Jalki Bandh and the firm fort of Jumlagarh.

How to Reach

By Train

The nearby railway station to Sunabeda Tiger Reserve is at Kharira Road – the Vijayanagaram line of Southern Eastern Railway.

By Air

Raipur is the nearby airport which is 120 kms away from Sunapeda Tiger Reserve. This airport connects the city to Bangalore, Mumbai, Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Delhi.

By Road

Sunabeda Tiger Reserve is well connected by road.

Flora and Fauna

Flora

Important flora are found in this tiger reserve like dry deciduous forests which include – piasal, bamboo, salia, genduli, khumbi, char, mai, sindha, karada, kendu, dhaura, mahul, hahada, amla, harida, ashan, sisoo, bija, and teak. There are different palatable grasses and succulent shrubs also, which one can find here.

Fauna

Mammals

Sunapeda Tiger Reserve is an abode of varied endangered fauna like rhesus monkey, langur, wild boar, hyena, porcupine, chital, barking deer, gaur, sambar, bilgai, barasingha, hard ground, wild buffalo, leopard, and tiger.

Birds

There are different birds found in Sunapeda Tiger Reserve like fishing eagle, open billed strok, snake bird, dabchick, coots, green pigeon, partridge, red jungle fowl, peafowl, hill myna, and many other colorful birds.

Reptiles

Apart from different mammals and birds there are different reptiles also which one can find here like – insects, snakes and butterflies. There are different species of amphibians and invertebrate fauna which reside here.

Wildlife

Sunapeda Tiger Reserve is a natural habitat for wildlife creatures particularly tigers and leopards. This reserve was earlier declared as a sanctuary in 1983 which presently houses number of mammals, birds, and reptiles. It is an excellent habitat which houses many endangered flora and fauna.

Where to Stay

Individuals who want to stay at Sunabeda Tiger Reserve can stay at circuit houses and rest houses of the forest. They can also put their stay at different bungalows and departments which are provided by the state government.

General Information

Here are some tips which will prove to be useful for the tourists:

• Treat the tiger reserve with respect.
• Loud speakers, tape recorders, and transistors are taboo in the tiger reserve.
• One must take precise precaution to guard against any carelessness.
• You must keep reasonable distance from the animals.
• Do not litter in the sanctuary.
• Don’t drive inside the wildlife sanctuary after sunset.

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