कृपया इसे हिंदी में पढ़ने के लिए यहाँ क्लिक करें
On April 24, 2025, the Government of Odisha formally notified Similipal as India’s 107th national park, under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. This landmark move designates an 845.70 sq km core area—covering 11 ranges across the Similipal North and South Wildlife Divisions—as inviolate, free from human habitation and grazing, to bolster conservation of its globally significant biodiversity and indigenous tribal heritage. Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi hailed the decision as a “landmark step towards Viksit Bharat, Viksit Odisha,” while PCCF (Wildlife) Prem Kumar Jha called it a milestone in the state’s conservation history.
Backstory: From Sanctuary to National Park
Early Proposals and Sanctuary Status
- 1980 & 1986 Intent Notifications: The Odisha government first signaled its intent to upgrade Similipal to national park status on August 6, 1980, and June 11, 1986, recognizing its ecological importance.
- Similipal Tiger Reserve (2007): In 2007, 1,194.75 sq km of Similipal were earmarked as a core critical tiger habitat, forming the Similipal Tiger Reserve to safeguard its Bengal tiger population.
- Sanctuary to Park: Until April 2025, Similipal functioned as a wildlife sanctuary within a larger 2,750 sq km reserve; the new national park status applies to the strictly protected 845.70 sq km segment.
Ground‑Level Insights and Local Impact
Indigenous Communities
- Tribal Heritage: The region is home to indigenous tribes such as the Ho, Munda, and Bathudi, whose livelihoods in buffer zones depend on non-timber forest produce and shifting cultivation.
- Resettlement Efforts: Several villages (Jenabil, Kabatghai, Barahkamuda, Bahaghar) were relocated over decades to meet inviolability criteria; however, 61 families still inhabit Bakua, excluded from the park’s core area to balance conservation with livelihoods.
Ecology and Biodiversity
- Flora: Dominated by sal (Shorea robusta) forests, moist deciduous and semi-evergreen patches, rolling meadows, and riverine corridors.
- Fauna: Home to tigers (including rare wild melanistic “black” tigers), Asian elephants, gaur, sloth bears, and endemic species such as the rusty-spotted cat and the King Cobra.
- Avifauna: Over 361 bird species recorded, including the crested serpent eagle and the rare Bengal florican.
Legal and Conservation Significance
Under Section 35(4) of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, areas declared national parks must be ecologically, geomorphologically, and naturally significant, and maintained inviolate—prohibiting habitation and grazing—to ensure pristine wildlife habitats. Prior to Similipal, Odisha had only one national park—Bhitarkanika—making this the state’s second and reinforcing India’s broader conservation commitments.
Engaging Anecdotes and Unique Tales
- Ghostly Whispers at Barehipani Falls: Locals recount seeing ghostly silhouettes near Barehipani Falls at dusk, sparking folklore that these spirits protect the forests—stories now shared with amused eco-tourists.
- Melanistic Tiger Sightings: Photographers have captured fleeting images of the world’s only known wild black tigers here, a phenomenon once thought myth but now verified by trail cameras.
Key Personalities
- Mohan Charan Majhi: Chief Minister of Odisha, who announced the park status, framing it as integral to “Viksit Bharat, Viksit Odisha”.
- Prem Kumar Jha: PCCF (Wildlife) and Chief Wildlife Warden, who oversaw the formal notification and highlighted its conservation milestone.
Lesser‑Known Facts
- Floral Endemism: Similipal harbors several plant species found nowhere else in India, including rare orchids and the Similipal giant shrub.
- Traditional Knowledge: Tribal healers utilize at least 150 medicinal plants from Similipal’s forests, knowledge now documented to inform conservation and healthcare initiatives.
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