Spread
over 796 square kilometers, Satkosia Gorge Wildlife Sanctuary was
established in 1976 in Orissa. Spread out in four districts of Orissa
namely Angul, Budh, Cuttack and Nayagarh, Satkosia Gorge has an
exclusive geomorphology feature as Mahanadi cuts it through the Eastern
Ghats thus forming a wonderful gorge around 22 kms long.The sanctuary is popular for its deciduous forests, dry deciduous forests and moist peninsular Sal forests. A varied array of fauna such as Tiger, Leopard, Elephant, Gaur, Sambar, Spotted Deer, Mouse Deer, Nilgai, Choushingha, Sloth Bear, and Wild Dog can be spotted here.
The sanctuary is also home to a wide variety of resident and migratory birds and reptilian species like Gharial, Mugger Crocodile, Fresh Water Turtle, Poisonous and Non-Poisonous Snakes etc. A Gharial Research and Conservation Unit at Tikarapada in the sanctuary is one of its distinctive features.
220 kms from Bhubaneshwar, Satkosia Gorge Wildlife Sanctuary is well connected by rail with the nearest railway station at 76 kilometers from it.