Ancient Gupteswar Forest in Odisha Becomes State’s Newest Biodiversity Heritage Site

Gupteswar Forest Declared a Biodiversity Heritage Site

The Odisha government has recently declared the Gupteswar Forest, located adjacent to the ancient Gupteswar Shiva temple in Koraput district, as the state’s fourth Biodiversity Heritage Site (BHS). The 350 hectare demarcated area comprising this site harbors a diverse range of flora and fauna species as well as sacred groves that locals traditionally revere.

Surveys conducted by the Odisha Biodiversity Board reveal that the Gupteswar Forest harbors exceptional biodiversity values, documenting over 600 faunal species and myriad floral species. The limestone caves provide ideal roosting habitat for several bat species while the forest composition and water bodies sustain populations of mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians.

Gupteswar Forest Location

The recently declared Gupteswar Forest Biodiversity Heritage Site spans 350 hectares within the Dhondrakhol reserve forest under the jurisdiction of the Jeypore forest division in Koraput district. It lies adjacent to the ancient Gupteswar Shiva temple, denoting the cultural and spiritual relevance of the landscape. The reserve forest provides the larger protective canopy under which the BHS will be managed by the Biodiversity Board as a sustainable multi-use area with active community participation. Specific geo-coordinates and boundary demarcations may be delineated by the Board during the conservation plan formulation.

Biodiversity of Gupteswar Forest

Fauna

Surveys of the Gupteswar Forest have revealed exceptional animal diversity, documenting over 600 faunal species in inventories compiled by the Odisha Biodiversity Board. The area harbors 188 bird species, 141 butterfly species, 48 reptiles, 45 fish, 28 mammals, 18 amphibians and other invertebrates like spiders, scorpions and moths. This remarkable richness underscores the forest’s value as vital habitat.

Several threatened and endemic species inhabit the Gupteswar Forest, including the mugger crocodile, kanger valley rock gecko, sacred grove bush frog and black baza. The limestone caves provide roosting sites for 8 bat species out of 16 found in southern Odisha, with two classified as near-threatened on the IUCN Red List – the intermediate roundleaf bat and Roux’s horseshoe bat.

Flora

Surveys by the Biodiversity Board have recorded exceptional floral diversity in the Gupteswar Forest as well, documenting 182 trees, 76 shrubs, 177 herbs, 69 climbers and 14 orchids in the 350 hectare area. Many threatened medicinal plants grow here too like the trumpet tree, Indian snakeroot, Chinese fever vine and Rohituka tree, valued for their ethno-botanical usage. The area also harbors wild crop relatives of ginger and turmeric. Safeguarding this floral wealth can promote ecological stability and human wellbeing.

Conservation Plan for Gupteswar Forest

The Odisha Biodiversity Board will formulate a tailored conservation plan for the Gupteswar Forest BHS after the state government allocated Rs 35 lakh for this purpose. Priority initiatives will include raising community awareness on protecting biodiversity, promoting sustainable harvesting of non-timber forest produce, and instituting regulated ecotourism activities to engage indigenous people in safeguarding their natural heritage.

Conclusion on Gupteswar BHS

The Government of Odisha has already notified three Biodiversity Heritage Sites (BHS) in the state, which are Mandasaru Hills in Kandhamal district, Mahendragiri Hills in Gajapati district, and Gandhamardan Hills in Bolangir and Bargarh districts. By designating the Gupteswar Forest as its newest Biodiversity Heritage Site Odisha has achieved a significant milestone for conserving biodiversity within community landscapes. This creates avenues to integrate ecological stability, sustainable resource use and cultural continuity. Centered on sacred groves and tribal customs, the Gupteswar BHS represents a functioning social-ecological system.

Biodiversity Heritage Sites in India

India’s Biological Diversity Act 2002 provides for designating Biodiversity Heritage Sites across the country in order to conserve unique, fragile ecosystems exhibiting exceptional biodiversity values. State Governments declare a Biodiversity Heritage Site in consultation with local governing bodies, spanning diverse ecosystems with rich endemic species diversity. BHS also sustain threatened or evolutionarily significant species while maintaining associated human cultural traditions.