Debrigarh Wildlife Sanctuary: A Celestial Haven for Stargazing and Conservation
In a novel effort, Debrigarh Wildlife Sanctuary has introduced 'Stargazing' with the addition of six specially designated cottages for this activity. This new feature provides visitors with a unique chance to observe constellations and take in the night sky, all while being surrounded by the sanctuary's natural beauty.
Debrigarh Wildlife Sanctuary now offers Odisha's first elaborate and systematic stargazing experience. Six new cottages with glass roofs have been developed to enhance nighttime star viewing.
Additionally, star photo frames featuring real stars visible from the nature camp, captured by local astrophotographers, are displayed in the rooms and throughout the eco-tourism zone.
Since identifying stars requires a large expanse of dark sky away from city lights, the cottages are strategically located in areas with minimal light pollution, ensuring an unobstructed view of the celestial display. Spanning 353 square kilometers, along with the 700 square kilometers of uninhabited Hirakud wetland, Debrigarh provides over 1,000 square kilometers of dark sky. This setup makes it easier to see and identify stars, constellations, and even planets like Jupiter.
Bookings for the stargazing cottages began on May 1. Additionally, daily stargazing sessions are held from 7 pm to 7:30 pm for visitors.
Community members have been trained to identify stars and constellations visible from the sanctuary, and the visible stars have been photo framed with directions to facilitate easy identification by visitors. The response in the first month was promising, with the new cottages hosting 22 visitors. Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Wildlife, Anshu Pragyan Das, emphasized that stargazing is not just an eco-tourism trend but has significant scientific implications for conservation. "All ungulates and carnivores have excellent night vision due to the high concentration of rods in their eyes. From feeding to predation, everything in the forest occurs at night as they rely on starlight and moonlight for vision," she explained.
Das further highlighted that the addition is not only a step in diversifying the sanctuary’s offerings and promoting sustainable tourism but also an effort to educate visitors about the celestial beauties and their role in the conservation of wildlife.
Archana Padhi, a visitor from Rourkela, expressed her delight, saying, “This was my first visit to Debrigarh nature camp. We were unaware of such a facility in Odisha. The experience of witnessing stars and the moon from the cottage was phenomenal. I would recommend people to choose Debrigarh over far-off ecotourism places as we have such a beautiful and unexplored gem near us.”
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