Bhubaneswar: In a unique initiative, Debrigarh Wildlife Sanctuary located in Bargarh, Odisha, has opened its gates for passionate star watchers at its premises becoming the first ‘Stargazing’ hotspot in Odisha.
The sanctuary comprises Lohara and Debrigarh reserved forests of Barapahad hills and is well-known among wildlife lovers for being home to a variety of animals. Including over 40 species of mammals, 200 species of birds and other species of flora and fauna.
In addition to the existing cottages, the sanctuary has newly constructed 6 state of the art, stargazing facilities with glass roofs, binoculars, telescopes, and informative books on astronomy and related subjects.
The facility has been opened for the tourists since May 1, 2024.
In an exclusive telephonic interaction with Ommcom News, Anshu Pragyan Das, DFO Hirakud (Wildlife ) said, “Our purpose is to educate public, youth, school, college students and different sections of society regarding the upcoming concept of stargazing.”
“The geographical position of Debrigarh sanctuary makes it most suitable for stargazing as it spreads over 353 square kilometres, along with 700 square kilometres of Hirakud. In total we have 1000 square kilometres of dark sky without any light pollution or human habitation, giving a clear view of the sky.” said Das.
We have also invited a group of astrophotographers to take photographs of the stars and have documented the constellations visible from the sanctuary.
Adding further she said, “A lot of people are taking an interest in stargazing, as it is a new concept. I hope it will attract youngsters, and a lot of nature lovers will also take interest in it.”
The sanctuary is also home to the Indian Gaur, locally known as Bison. Sharing a shoreline of more than 100 kilometres with Hirakud wetland, the sanctuary becomes a habitat for many animal species including leopards.
There is a significant increase in the number of Indian Gaur with more than 15-20 animals in a herd.
Sanctuary also offers facilities for trekking, hiking, and safari to tourists which are done under strict supervision and standard operating procedures.
