Cattle Island is located near Kumarbandh village of the Belpahar-Banharpali range. It is about 90 km from Sambalpur and 10 km by waterway from Hirakud Dam. Cattle Island has located in one of the extreme points of Hirakud Reservoir, a natural wonder. The island is inhabited only by wildlife and has no human presence. The island is a submerged hill, and before the construction of Hirakud Dam, it was a developed village.
During the resettlement period, villagers left some of their cattle behind. When the dam construction was over, the cattle settled on the hilltop. With time the nearby area filled up with the reservoir water, turning the hilltop into an island. Being away from mankind, the cattle are now wild, very swift and not easily caught. Living on a hilltop with dense forest, they are larger than tame cattle, and almost all are white. Nearby residents attempt to capture these animals from time to time, but these hunts are rarely successful. Though descended from tame cattle, these animals provide a contrasting picture of this breed of the animal returning to life in the wild. Hirakud dam Cattle Island is a tourist place in Sambalpur. (Source)
