Simlipal is a
tiger reserve
Project Tiger is a tiger conservation programme launched in April 1973 by the Government of India during Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's tenure. The project aims at ensuring a viable population of the Bengal tiger in its natural habitats, protectin ...
in the
Mayurbhanj district
Mayurbhanj district is one of the 30 districts in Odisha state in eastern India. It is the largest district of Odisha by area. Its headquarters are at Baripada. Other major towns are Rairangpur, Karanjia and Udala. , it is the third-most-popu ...
in the
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
n state of
Odisha
Odisha (English: , ), formerly Orissa ( the official name until 2011), is an Indian state located in Eastern India. It is the 8th largest state by area, and the 11th largest by population. The state has the third largest population of ...
covering . It is part of the Mayurbhanj Elephant Reserve, which includes three protected areas — Similipal Tiger Reserve,
Hadgarh Wildlife Sanctuary
Hadgarh Wildlife Sanctuary wildlife sanctuary situated Keonjhar district in Odisha, India, covering an area of 191 km2 was established in 1978. Hadgarh Wildlife Sanctuary was declared vide F.F.A.H. notification dated the 6th December 1978 S.R.O. ...
with and
Kuldiha Wildlife Sanctuary with . Simlipal National Park derives its name from the abundance of
red silk cotton trees growing in the area.
The park is home to
Bengal tiger
The Bengal tiger is a population of the ''Panthera tigris tigris'' subspecies. It ranks among the biggest wild cats alive today. It is considered to belong to the world's charismatic megafauna.
The tiger is estimated to have been present in ...
,
Asian elephant
The Asian elephant (''Elephas maximus''), also known as the Asiatic elephant, is the only living species of the genus ''Elephas'' and is distributed throughout the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia, from India in the west, Nepal in the no ...
,
gaur
The gaur (''Bos gaurus''; ), also known as the Indian bison, is a bovine native to South Asia and Southeast Asia, and has been listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List since 1986. The global population was estimated at a maximum of 21,000 m ...
, and
chausingha
The four-horned antelope (''Tetracerus quadricornis''), or ''chousingha'', is a small antelope found in India and Nepal. Its four horns distinguish it from most other bovids, which have two horns (with a few exceptions, such as the Jacob sheep). ...
.
This protected area is part of the UNESCO
World Network of Biosphere Reserves
The UNESCO World Network of Biosphere Reserves (WNBR) covers internationally designated protected areas, known as biosphere reserves, which are meant to demonstrate a balanced relationship between people and nature (e.g. encourage sustainable dev ...
since 2009.
Description
Simlipal Tiger Reserve covers an area of , out of which forms the core area. The mean elevation is . It has the peaks of Khairiburu at and Meghasani at .
The main waterfalls are the
Barehipani Falls at high and the
Joranda Falls
The Joranda Falls ( or, ଯୋରନ୍ଦା ପ୍ରପାତ) is a waterfall located in the core area of Simlipal National Park in Mayurbhanj district in the Indian state of Odisha. The Barehipani Falls is located close to the Joranda Falls. I ...
.
History
Simlipal
elephant reserve originated mainly as a hunting ground for the royalty. It was formally designated a
tiger reserve
Project Tiger is a tiger conservation programme launched in April 1973 by the Government of India during Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's tenure. The project aims at ensuring a viable population of the Bengal tiger in its natural habitats, protectin ...
in 1956 and under
Project Tiger
Project Tiger is a tiger conservation programme launched in April 1973 by the Government of India during Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's tenure. The project aims at ensuring a viable population of the Bengal tiger in its natural habitats, protecti ...
in May 1973. "Mugger Crocodile Scheme" was started in 1979 at
Ramatirtha
Swami Rama Tirtha ( Punjabi: ਸਵਾਮੀ ਰਾਮਤੀਰਥ, Hindi: स्वामी रामतीर्थ 22 October 1873 – 17 October 1906Verma, M.L. ''Swadhinta Sangram Ke Krantikari Sahitya Ka Itihas''. Vol 2. pp. 418–421 ...
,
Jashipur
Jashipur is a town and headquarter of Panchpir subdivision of Mayurbhanj district in the state of Odisha, India. The town is located in southwestern region of Simlipal National Park comprising diverse geographical valleys, forest lands and scores ...
.
The
Government of Odisha
The government of the Indian state of Odisha and its 30 districts consists of an executive, led by the Governor of Odisha, a judiciary, and a legislative branch.
Like other states in India, the head of state of Odisha is the Governor, appoi ...
declared Simlipal as a wildlife sanctuary in 1979 with an area of . Later in 1980, the state government proposed of the sanctuary as a national park. Further in 1986, area of the national park was increased to .
Government of India
The Government of India (ISO: ; often abbreviated as GoI), known as the Union Government or Central Government but often simply as the Centre, is the national government of the Republic of India, a federal democracy located in South Asia, c ...
declared Simlipal as a
biosphere reserve
A nature reserve (also known as a wildlife refuge, wildlife sanctuary, biosphere reserve or bioreserve, natural or nature preserve, or nature conservation area) is a protected area of importance for flora, fauna, or features of geological or o ...
in 1994.
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...
added this national park to its list of
Biosphere Reserve
A nature reserve (also known as a wildlife refuge, wildlife sanctuary, biosphere reserve or bioreserve, natural or nature preserve, or nature conservation area) is a protected area of importance for flora, fauna, or features of geological or o ...
s in May 2009.
There are 10,000 people living in 61 villages in the forest. That is why Simlipal is yet to be declared a full-fledged park, despite its having the status of one of the 18
biosphere
The biosphere (from Greek βίος ''bíos'' "life" and σφαῖρα ''sphaira'' "sphere"), also known as the ecosphere (from Greek οἶκος ''oîkos'' "environment" and σφαῖρα), is the worldwide sum of all ecosystems. It can also be ...
s of India.
[
]
Relocation of core villages
In December 2013, 32 families from the Khadia tribe belonging to two hamlets of Upper Barhakamuda and Bahaghar were relocated outside the Tiger Reserve as per the guidelines set by National Tiger Conservation Authority. The village of Jamunagarh was relocated in September 2015. Following the relocation, tiger sightings in the core area has gone up. There are two villages, Kabatghai and Bakua, still present in the core area of Similipal. The Forest Department, wildlife NGOs and local administration have initiated talks with these villages on their relocation. However the tribals alleged these relocations to be forced and wished to claim their rights under the Forest Rights Act.
Geography and climate
The tiger reserve is in the Mayurbhanj district
Mayurbhanj district is one of the 30 districts in Odisha state in eastern India. It is the largest district of Odisha by area. Its headquarters are at Baripada. Other major towns are Rairangpur, Karanjia and Udala. , it is the third-most-popu ...
in the India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
n state of Odisha
Odisha (English: , ), formerly Orissa ( the official name until 2011), is an Indian state located in Eastern India. It is the 8th largest state by area, and the 11th largest by population. The state has the third largest population of ...
. Simlipal Elephant Reserve is an ecosystem complete with forest vegetation (mainly sal trees), fauna and the adjoining Ho / Santhal Santhal may refer to :
Places and jurisdictions
* Santhal Pargana division, in Jharkhand state, (north)eastern India
* Santhal State, former petty princely state in Mahi Kantha, Gujarat, western India
People
* Santhal people (part of the Tea ...
tribal settlements.
The high hills surround Meghasani/Tunkiburu, the highest peak in the park. At an altitude of , followed by Khairiburu at above elevation.[ At least 12 rivers cut across the plain area. The prominent among them are ]Budhabalanga
The Budhabalanga River (ବୁଢାବଳଙ୍ଗ ନଦୀ) (also called Balanga River) flows through the districts of Mayurbhanj and Balasore in the Indian state of Odisha.
Course
The Budhabalanga, meaning old Balanga, rises in the Simili ...
, Palpala Bhandan, Kharkai River
The Kharkai River is a river in eastern India. It is one of the major tributaries of the Subarnarekha River. It flows through Adityapur region of Jamshedpur
It arises in Mayurbhanj district, Odisha, on the north slopes of Darbarmela Parbat and ...
and Deo. This sprawling forest has two prominent waterfalls - Joranda/Jorodah and Barheipani/Barhai
Summers are hot with temperatures around whereas the winter months can be as low as . The rainfall ranges from moderate to heavy.
Simlipal comes under a high cerebral malaria
Malaria is a Mosquito-borne disease, mosquito-borne infectious disease that affects humans and other animals. Malaria causes Signs and symptoms, symptoms that typically include fever, fatigue (medical), tiredness, vomiting, and headaches. In se ...
-prone zone. In cerebral malaria the sequestrated red blood cells can breach the blood brain barrier
Blood is a body fluid in the circulatory system of humans and other vertebrates that delivers necessary substances such as nutrients and oxygen to the Cell (biology), cells, and transports Metabolic waste, metabolic waste products away from th ...
possibly leading to coma. Cerebral malaria, if not detected, causes death.
Initial symptoms of cerebral malaria are often mistaken as those of acute jaundice. There have been many recorded cases of death due to cerebral malaria after visits to Simlipal. Therefore, it is extremely important for tourists to be aware of the threats posed by cerebral malaria before planning a visit to Simlipal.
In 2021, large fires broke out in the Simlipal Tiger Reserve, and continued to burn for over two weeks before they were brought under control. The 2021 Simlipal forest fires resulted in widespread environmental damage, and caused an exodus of fauna from the park into nearby human habitations.
Wildlife
Flora
The park is a treasure house of 1,076 species of plants belonging to 102 families. 96 species of orchids
Orchids are plants that belong to the family Orchidaceae (), a diverse and widespread group of flowering plants with blooms that are often colourful and fragrant.
Along with the Asteraceae, they are one of the two largest families of flowering ...
have been identified here.[ It lies in the ]Eastern Highlands moist deciduous forests
The Eastern Highlands moist deciduous forests, presently known as East Deccan moist deciduous forests, is a tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests ecoregion in east-central India. The ecoregion covers an area of , extending across po ...
ecoregion
An ecoregion (ecological region) or ecozone (ecological zone) is an ecologically and geographically defined area that is smaller than a bioregion, which in turn is smaller than a biogeographic realm. Ecoregions cover relatively large areas of l ...
, with tropical moist broadleaf forest
Tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests (TSMF), also known as tropical moist forest, is a subtropical and tropical forest habitat (ecology), habitat type defined by the World Wide Fund for Nature.
Description
TSMF is generally foun ...
and tropical moist deciduous forests
Tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests (TSMF), also known as tropical moist forest, is a subtropical and tropical forest habitat type defined by the World Wide Fund for Nature.
Description
TSMF is generally found in large, discon ...
with dry deciduous hill forest and high level Sal forests. The grasslands
A grassland is an area where the vegetation is dominated by grasses (Poaceae). However, sedge (Cyperaceae) and rush (Juncaceae) can also be found along with variable proportions of legumes, like clover, and other herbs. Grasslands occur natural ...
and the savannas
A savanna or savannah is a mixed woodland-grassland (i.e. grassy woodland) ecosystem characterised by the trees being sufficiently widely spaced so that the canopy does not close. The open canopy allows sufficient light to reach the ground to ...
provide grazing grounds for the herbivores and hiding places to the carnivores. The forest boasts of innumerable medicinal
Medicine is the science and practice of caring for a patient, managing the diagnosis, prognosis, prevention, treatment, palliation of their injury or disease, and promoting their health. Medicine encompasses a variety of health care practic ...
and aromatic plants, which provide a source of earnings for the tribal people. Eucalyptus
''Eucalyptus'' () is a genus of over seven hundred species of flowering trees, shrubs or mallees in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae. Along with several other genera in the tribe Eucalypteae, including '' Corymbia'', they are commonly known as euca ...
, planted by the British
British may refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies.
** Britishness, the British identity and common culture
* British English, ...
during the 1900s, are also found.[
]
Fauna
A total of 42 species of mammals, 242 species of birds and 30 species of reptiles have been recorded in Simlipal National Park.[ The major mammals include:
* ]tiger
The tiger (''Panthera tigris'') is the largest living cat species and a member of the genus '' Panthera''. It is most recognisable for its dark vertical stripes on orange fur with a white underside. An apex predator, it primarily preys on u ...
,
* leopard
The leopard (''Panthera pardus'') is one of the five extant species in the genus '' Panthera'', a member of the cat family, Felidae. It occurs in a wide range in sub-Saharan Africa, in some parts of Western and Central Asia, Southern Russia, a ...
,
* Asian elephant
The Asian elephant (''Elephas maximus''), also known as the Asiatic elephant, is the only living species of the genus ''Elephas'' and is distributed throughout the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia, from India in the west, Nepal in the no ...
,
* sambar,
* barking deer
Barking may refer to:
Places
* Barking, London, a town in East London, England
** London Borough of Barking and Dagenham, a local government district covering the town of Barking
** Municipal Borough of Barking, a historical local government dist ...
,
* gaur
The gaur (''Bos gaurus''; ), also known as the Indian bison, is a bovine native to South Asia and Southeast Asia, and has been listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List since 1986. The global population was estimated at a maximum of 21,000 m ...
,
* jungle cat
The jungle cat (''Felis chaus''), also called reed cat, swamp cat and jungle lynx, is a medium-sized cat native to the Middle East, the Caucasus, South and Southeast Asia and southern China. It inhabits foremost wetlands like swamps, littora ...
,
* wild boar
The wild boar (''Sus scrofa''), also known as the wild swine, common wild pig, Eurasian wild pig, or simply wild pig, is a suid native to much of Eurasia and North Africa, and has been introduced to the Americas and Oceania. The species is ...
,
* chausingha
The four-horned antelope (''Tetracerus quadricornis''), or ''chousingha'', is a small antelope found in India and Nepal. Its four horns distinguish it from most other bovids, which have two horns (with a few exceptions, such as the Jacob sheep). ...
(four horned antelope
The term antelope is used to refer to many species of even-toed ruminant that are indigenous to various regions in Africa and Eurasia.
Antelope comprise a wastebasket taxon defined as any of numerous Old World grazing and browsing hoofed mammals ...
),
* giant squirrel
Oriental giant squirrels are cat-sized tree squirrels from the genus ''Ratufa'' in the subfamily Ratufinae. They are a distinctive element of the fauna of south and southeast Asia.
Species
There are four living species of oriental giant squirre ...
and
* common langur
Gray langurs, also called Hanuman langurs and Hanuman monkeys, are Old World monkeys native to the Indian subcontinent constituting the genus ''Semnopithecus''. Traditionally only one species ''Semnopithecus entellus'' was recognized, but since a ...
.
231 species of birds nest in these forests. The commonly found birds are:
* Red junglefowl
The red junglefowl (''Gallus gallus'') is a tropical bird in the family Phasianidae. It ranges across much of Southeast Asia and parts of South Asia. It was formerly known as the Bankiva or Bankiva Fowl. It is the species that gave rise to the ...
,
* hill mynah
''Gracula'' is a genus of mynas, tropical members of the starling family of birds found in southern Asia and introduced to Florida in the United States.
Taxonomy
The genus ''Gracula'' was introduced in 1758 by the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeu ...
,
* peafowl
Peafowl is a common name for three bird species in the genera '' Pavo'' and ''Afropavo'' within the tribe Pavonini of the family Phasianidae, the pheasants and their allies. Male peafowl are referred to as peacocks, and female peafowl are refe ...
,
* Alexandrine parakeet
The Alexandrine parakeet (''Psittacula eupatria''), also known as the Alexandrine parrot, is a medium-sized parrot in the genus Psittacula of the family Psittaculidae. It is named after Alexander the Great, who transported numerous birds from Pu ...
and
* crested serpent eagle
The crested serpent eagle (''Spilornis cheela'') is a medium-sized bird of prey that is found in forested habitats across tropical Asia. Within its widespread range across the Indian Subcontinent, Southeast Asia and East Asia, there are considera ...
.
Also found in the reserve are:
* grey hornbill,
* Indian pied hornbill
The Malabar pied hornbill (''Anthracoceros coronatus''), also known as lesser pied hornbill, is a bird in the hornbill family, a family of tropical near-passerine birds found in the Old World.
Taxonomy
The Malabar pied hornbill was described by ...
,
* Malabar pied hornbill
The Malabar pied hornbill (''Anthracoceros coronatus''), also known as lesser pied hornbill, is a bird in the Hornbill, hornbill family, a family of tropical near-passerine birds found in the Old World.
Taxonomy
The Malabar pied hornbill was des ...
and
* Indian trogon.
The park has a sizeable population of reptiles, which includes snakes and turtles. The "Mugger Crocodile Management Programme" has helped the Mugger crocodile
The mugger crocodile (''Crocodylus palustris'') is a medium-sized broad- snouted crocodile, also known as mugger and marsh crocodile. It is native to freshwater habitats from southern Iran to the Indian subcontinent, where it inhabits marshes, ...
(''Crocodylus palustris'') to survive and flourish in and on the banks of Khairi river.
Vegetation ecology of the Similipal biosphere reserve
Vegetation analysis of the forest ecosystem of Similipal Biosphere Reserve (SBR) was carried out at 10 sites to study changes in structure and composition in plant community distributed in the core (undisturbed) and buffer (disturbed) areas of the reserve. The study reveals a higher number of herbs and shrubs and a lower number of trees in the buffer area indicating greater anthropogenic disturbance. Total tree basal area varied from 48.7 to 78.61 m 2 ha -1 in the buffer area and 81.4 to 104.9 m 2 ha -1 in the core area. The density of saplings and seedlings was nearly equal both at the disturbed and undisturbed sites. However, the rate of conversion of saplings to trees was greater at undisturbed sites. The lower rate of conversion at disturbed sites is due to the removal of seedlings of most of the tree species. The high herb diversity (2.14 - 3.50) and low tree diversity (2.14 - 2.98) in buffer area is a result of Environmental openings providing greater opportunity for the recruitment of herbs and shrubs. The presence of only a few individuals of major tree species in larger diameter classes and more in young diameter classes in buffer areas indicate that the plant community was subjected to disturbance and are in the regenerating stage. Greater fluctuation in the species / genus ratio in the herbaceous species at sites of the buffer area in comparison to core area has led to variation in developmental status of plant communities among the core and buffer areas of the reserve. However, the presence of the seedlings of dominant tree species in the buffer area may help in the restoration of the plant communities in the long-run, provided protection means are strengthened and biotic stress reduced.
See also
* Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education
The Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE) is an autonomous organisation or governmental agency under the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India. Headquartered in Dehradun, its functions are to conduct fore ...
References
External links
*
{{Tiger Reserves Of India
National parks in Odisha
Tiger reserves of India
Eastern Ghats
Biosphere reserves of India
Mayurbhanj district
Chota Nagpur dry deciduous forests
Eastern Highlands moist deciduous forests
Protected areas established in 1980
1980 establishments in Orissa