▁Od ish a ▁in ▁eastern ▁India . ▁It ▁was ▁designated ▁on ▁ 1 6 ▁September ▁ 1 9 9 8 ▁and ▁obtained ▁the ▁status ▁of ▁a ▁R ams ar ▁site ▁on ▁ 1 9 ▁August ▁ 2 0 0 2 . ▁The ▁area ▁is ▁also ▁been ▁designated ▁as ▁second ▁R ams ar ▁site ▁of ▁the ▁State ▁after ▁the ▁Ch il ika ▁Lake . ▁It ▁is ▁surrounded ▁by ▁Bh it ark an ika ▁Wild life ▁San ctu ary , ▁which ▁spread ▁over ▁. ▁G ah ir math a ▁Beach ▁and ▁Marine ▁San ctu ary ▁are ▁to ▁the ▁east , ▁separ ating ▁sw amp ▁region ▁and ▁mang ro ves ▁from ▁the ▁Bay ▁of ▁Beng al . ▁The ▁national ▁park ▁and ▁wild life ▁san ctu ary ▁is ▁in und ated ▁by ▁the ▁rivers ▁Bra h man i , ▁B ait ar ani , ▁D ham ra , ▁Path s ala . ▁It ▁hosts ▁many ▁mang ro ve ▁species , ▁and ▁is ▁the ▁second ▁largest ▁mang ro ve ▁e cos ystem ▁in ▁India . ▁ ▁The ▁national ▁park ▁is ▁home ▁to ▁Salt water ▁cro cod ile ▁( C roc ody lus ▁por os us ), ▁Indian ▁python , ▁king ▁c ob ra , ▁black ▁i bis , ▁dar ters ▁and ▁many ▁other ▁species ▁of ▁fl ora ▁and ▁fa una . ▁ ▁Tour ism ▁in ▁Bh it ark an ika ▁ ▁S ight see ing ▁is ▁done ▁on ▁boats ▁which ▁have ▁got ▁forest ▁department ▁lic enses . ▁Main ▁entrance ▁to ▁the ▁forest ▁is ▁from ▁Kh ola ▁Gate ,