Similipal National Park reopens for tourists

Odisha

Mayurbhanj, November 1: The Similipal National Park, Asia’s second-largest biosphere reserve, was opened for public on Monday.

The Park comprising the Similipal Tiger Reserve (STR) located in Mayurbhanj district is spread over 2,750 sq km, which remained closed for tourists in view of the monsoon. However, the park remained closed in May 2021 in view of the prevailing COVID-19 pandemic.

The tourists were allowed entry into the national park area through two check gates at Jashipur and Pithabata. While 35 four wheelers will be allowed entry into the national park at Jashipur, another 25 similar vehicles will enter through Pithabata check gate between 6 AM to 9 AM.

The tourist can make night halts at camp cottages and bamboo cottages at Gudugudia, Jamuani, Ramathirtha, Kumari. They can book tickets to visit the national park online on a first come and first serve basis by logging into www.similipal.com and www.odishatourism.gov.in.

The Park houses 1,076 species of plants belonging to 102 families and 96 species of orchids, innumerable medicinal and aromatic plants.

This apart, a total of 42 species of mammals, 242 species of birds and 30 species of reptiles have been recorded in the Park. The other mammals include tiger, leopard, asian elephants, sambar, barking deer, gaur, jungle cat, wild boar, four-horned antelope, giant squirrel and common langur.

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