Similipal Tiger Reserve

  About Similipal Tiger Reserve:

• Location: It is located within the Mayurbhanj District, in the Northern-most part of Odisha.
• It is spread over 2750 sq km and has some beautiful waterfalls like Joranda and Barehipani.
• History and current status:
  • It was formally designated a tiger reserve under Project Tiger in May 1973.
  • The Government of Orissa declared Similipal as a wildlife sanctuary in 1979.
  • Later in 1980, Government of Orissa proposed 303 sq. km of the sanctuary as National Park.
  • UNESCO added this National Park to its list of Biosphere Reserves in May 2009.
  • This tiger reserve also comes under Mayurbhanj Elephant Reserve that includes the adjacent Hadgarh and Kuldiha Wildlife Sanctuaries.
• It is surrounded by high plateaus and hills, the highest peak being the twin peaks of Khairiburu and Meghashini (1515m above mean sea level).
• The terrain is mostly undulating and hilly, interspersed with open grasslands and wooded areas.
• Vegetation: It is a mix of different forest types and habitats, with Northern tropical moist deciduous dominating some semi-evergreen patches.
• Fauna:
  • It is known for the tiger, elephant and hill mynah.
  • It holds the highest tiger population in the state of Orissa.
  • 55 species of mammals, 304 species of birds, 60 species of reptiles, 21 species of frogs, 38 species of fish and 164 species of butterflies have been recorded from the reserve.
• Fauna:
  • An astounding 1078 species of plants, including 94 species of orchids are found here.