Simlipal Tiger Reserve, Location, History, Vegetation

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Simlipal Tiger Reserve Latest News

The Similipal Tiger Reserve (STR) authorities recently arrested six poachers for hunting a mouse deer within the South wildlife division.

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.
- It was declared 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.
It 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.