Bhubaneswar: There are 54 endangered species including 17 species of reptiles, 15 species of birds and 22 species of mammals that have been identified in Odisha, as per the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red Data Book, informed Forest, Environment and Climate Change Minister Ganesh Ram Singkhuntia in a written statement in the Odisha Assembly on Tuesday.
The Minister told the House that to protect wild animals in their natural habitat 19 sanctuaries, one national park, two tiger reserves, three elephant reserves and one biosphere reserve have been constituted in the state.
Singkhuntia stated that anti-poaching and anti-smuggling squads equipped with vehicles, arms, and communication networks have been deployed at vulnerable points to prevent poaching and monitor the movement of suspected poachers.
Similarly, Forest field staff are being trained to improve intelligence gathering in order to prevent poaching of wild animals as well as effective handling of detection and processing of wildlife cases to ensure higher rates of conviction, he added.
He further informed that 24×7 control room has been set up in forest divisions, circles and headquarters level to receive information from the public on wildlife matter
‘Vana Samrakshana Samiti’ and eco-development committee members, and school students are being motivated to join hands with the Forest department to save wild lives and reduce human-elephant conflict, he added.
