Similipal Wildlife- Taking its name from the abundance of
semul or red silk cotton trees that bloom vividly here, the Simlipal National
Park is home to three of India's biggest animal species --Tiger, Asian Elephant
and Gaur. Spread over a sprawling area of 2750 sq. kms, the park is at an
altitude of 559.31 meters. Simlipal Tiger Reserve is famous for best care of
tigers in india.
Set on a wide expanse of Sal forest, this park is nestled
in the very centre of Mayurbhanj, the northernmost district of Odisha (Orissa).
Notable variations in topography, conducive climate and required vegetation has
supported large varieties of animals, birds and reptiles to flourish in one of
the earliest and finest of India's 15 Tiger reserves falling under Project
Tiger.
A forested, hilly terrain 200 km south-west of Kolkata,
the reserve is endowed with an exceptional biodiversity. Of the reserve's almost
1,000 species of flowering plants, 94 are orchids, many of which are on show at
the small display at Gurguria.
The reserve remains open from mid October to mid June. An
entry permit needs to be taken from the office of Assistant Conservator of
Forest, National Park, Jashipur or from the Range Officer, Pithabata at
Pithabata. Check Gate to visit the reserve. The tourists can explore the
reserve from 0600 to 1200 hours in the day. This time is extended by two hours
for the reservation holders and is 0600 to 1400 hours.
With the nearest airports being at 250 and 300 kms at
Calcutta and Bhubaneshwar respectively, the reserve is 76 kms away from Lulung
and 115 kms from Jashipur.
The fauna at the Park including tiger, leopard,
elephants, bison, sambar, porcupine, pangolin, flying-squirrel, hill myna,
hornbill and pythons can be observed closely by exploring the reserve in
private jeeps and cars. But before going on any such expedition, the tourists
are advised to take an anti-malarial drug.
Similipal National Park, a tract of total wilderness is
spread over an 845 sq km core area. In the ancient days, this reserve was the
hunting preserve of the Mayurbhanj maharajas. As a result of excessive hunting,
the wildlife here was seriously damaged. And then it was in the year 1957 that
a small area of it was declared a sanctuary.
Today, the tiger reserve extends over 2,750 sq. km,
within a larger area of 4,374 sq km that constitutes the biosphere reserve. But
unfortunately, the tribal communities here still indulge in an annual ritual
hunt (akhand shikar) with bows and arrows. To add more to the woes of the
animals, encroachment, livestock grazing, poaching and indifferent visitors are
also there.
But the management of the reserve has managed to sustain
a vast variety of wild life here despite nature's resilience. Better funding
for effective protection and awareness is therefore required at this stage to
sustain healthy numbers of animals.
No comments:
Post a Comment