Bhitarkanika National Park is a 145-square-kilometer (56-square-mile) national park in Odisha’s northeast Kendrapara district in eastern India. It was designated on September 16, 1998, and became a Ramsar site on August 19, 2002. The area has also been designated as the state’s second Ramsar site, following Chilika Lake. It is surrounded by the 672 km2 (259 sq mi) Bhitarkanika Wildlife Sanctuary.

To the east, Gahirmatha Beach and Marine Sanctuary separate the swamp region and mangroves from the Bay of Bengal. The rivers Brahmani, Baitarani, Dhamra, and Pathsala flood the national park and wildlife sanctuary. It is home to many mangrove species and is India’s second-largest mangrove ecosystem.

Mangrove trees are salt-tolerant, complex, and dynamic plants found in tropical and subtropical intertidal zones. They are adapted to the rising and falling of tides throughout the day, with roots designed in the shape of “stilts” that allow the plant and its leaves to photosynthesize adequately without being submerged. They’ve also evolved to tolerate changes in salinity throughout the day’s tides.

The tall, supportive roots provide excellent hiding places beneath the water for fish and small aquatic animals, and they frequently serve as fish “nurseries” for young fry to seek refuge in. Bhitarkanika is one such vibrant mangrove ecosystem, located in the estuarine region of Brahmani – Baitarani in the northeastern corner of Odisha’s Kendrapara district.