Gandhamardan Hills Are Home to a Distinctive Endemic Spider | ଗନ୍ଧମାର୍ଦ୍ଦନ ପାହାଡ଼ରେ ଦେଖାଯାଏ ଏକ ସ୍ୱତନ୍ତ୍ର ସ୍ଥାନୀୟ ବିଶେଷ ପ୍ରଜାତିର ବୁଢ଼ିଆଣୀ
Did You Know?
Odisha’s Gandhamardan Hills are home to a spider species reported as endemic to the area. ଓଡ଼ିଶାର ଗନ୍ଧମାର୍ଦ୍ଦନ ପାହାଡ଼ ଏକ ସ୍ଥାନୀୟ ବିଶେଷ ପ୍ରଜାତିର ବୁଢ଼ିଆଣୀର ଆବାସ।
Gandhamardan Hills, extending across Bargarh and Balangir districts, are known for their ecological and cultural importance. Beyond their medicinal plants and forest habitats, the hills also support distinctive wildlife, including species with highly restricted distributions.
The Odisha Biodiversity Board identifies Peucetia harishankarensis, a spider, as an endemic species associated with Gandhamardan. An endemic species is one that occurs naturally within a particular geographical area and is not naturally found elsewhere.
The Board's biodiversity documentation records extensive plant and animal diversity in the hills, including hundreds of floral and faunal species. This makes Gandhamardan valuable for understanding the biodiversity of the Eastern Ghats and the importance of conserving habitats that may support species with limited ranges.
The hills are also associated with the Harishankar and Nrusinghanath temples, connecting their natural heritage with long-standing religious and cultural traditions.