Kuldiha Wildlife Sanctuary is located 27 km distance from Balasore and 180 km from Bhubaneswar. It is s spread across 272 km in the Chota Nagpur Plateau region. It is connected with Simlipal National Park, Sukhupada and Nato hill ranges. The Sanctuary includes Kuldiha, Devgiri and Tenda Reserved Forests and other Protected Forests. Kuldiha sanctuary area, adjoining Nilgiri forest in the North and Mayurbhanj Forest in the West, is a typical representative of a mixture of peninsular (coastal) Sal forest and moist mixed deciduous forest. It comes in the Biogeographic region of the Deccan peninsular zone which is of enormous genetic and ecological importance with a variety of flora and fauna.
The significance of the Kuldiha Wildlife Sanctuary can be categorized as follows. It abodes several endangered and threatened wild animal species like the Asiatic elephant, leopard, gaur, mouse deer, pangolin, ratel, giant squirrel, etc. Besides that, some endangered bird species like hill mynas, woodpeckers, hornbills, and eagles are also found in the sanctuary. It forms part of the Mayurbhanj Elephant Reserve and is linked to the Similipal Biosphere Reserve through Hadgarh Wildlife Sanctuary, thus forming a vast landscape contributing to the cause of conservation of long-ranging Asiatic elephants and tigers.
The Sanctuary plays a significant role in ameliorating the local climate. It is the largest catchment that feeds the major rivers and tributaries of the district along with maintaining the groundwater regime of the locality. It is the major tourist destination in the district for nature lovers and one of the important tourist destinations of the state. Panchalingeswar, the sacred shrine of Lord Shiva, draws devotees from all corners of the state and outside. The place is very beautiful and attractive to visitors and tourists.
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