- Similipal Declared National Park: Odisha’s Similipal Tiger Reserve is now the state’s second National Park and India’s 107th. This was a long-pending proposal since 1980.
- Significance of Declaration: The 845.70 sq/km area is now ‘rights free’, prohibiting all human activities for enhanced conservation. The remaining 2,750 sq/km will remain a wildlife sanctuary with limited human activity.
- Ecological Importance: Similipal is home to diverse flora and fauna, including melanistic tigers, royal Bengal tigers, a significant elephant population, and numerous orchid species. It is recognised as a wildlife sanctuary, project tiger, UNESCO biosphere reserve, and elephant reserve.
- Greater Similipal Landscape Programme: The Odisha government is implementing this to protect the new National Park and its ecological corridors. AI powered surveillance, communication networks, and dedicated security forces will be employed.
- Tiger Conservation: To enhance the tiger population and genetic diversity, two female tigers were introduced from Maharashtra’s Tadoba Andheri Tiger Reserve, targeting a population of 100 tigers by 2036.
- Community Development: The “Ama Similipal Yojana” focuses on livelihood improvement, skill training, eco-tourism promotion, and infrastructure upgrades for local communities.
- No Downgrading: A national park cannot be downgraded to a wildlife sanctuary.