Simlipal National Park
Encyclopedia
Simlipal National Park is a national park
and an elephant reserve situated in the Mayurbhanj district
in the India
n state of Orissa
. Simlipal National Park derives its name from the abundance of Semul or red silk cotton trees that bloom vividly.
The park has an area of 845.7 square kilometres (326.5 sq mi) and has some beautiful waterfalls like Joranda
and Barehipani
. Simlipal is home to ninety-nine Royal Bengal Tigers, 432 Wild elephants
. Besides Simlipal is famous for Gaur
s (Indian Bison
s), Chausingha, as well as an orchidarium.
One can enter into Similipal through Pithabata (22 kilometres (13.7 mi) from Baripada) and 98 km via Jashipur. Entry permits can be obtained from the Range Officer, Pithabata check gate upon paying prescribed fees. Day visitors can enter between 6 AM & 12 Noon and visitors with reservation between 6 AM & 9 AM. Similipal National Park remains open from 1 October to 15 June only.
in May 1973. “Mugger Crocodile Scheme” was started in the year 1979 at Ramatirtha, Jashipur.
Government of Orissa
declared Simlipal as a wildlife sanctuary in 1979 with an area of 2200 square kilometres (849.4 sq mi). Later in 1980, Government of Orissa proposed 303 square kilometres (117 sq mi) of the sanctuary as a National Park. Further in 1986, area of the national park was increased to 845.7 square kilometres (326.5 sq mi). Government of India
declared Simlipal as a biosphere reserve
in 1994. UNESCO
added this National park to its list of Biosphere Reserve
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 fifteen biosphere
s of India.
in the India
n state of Orissa
.
Simlipal elephant Reserve is an ecosystem complete with forest vegetation (mainly sal trees), fauna and the adjoining Santhal tribal settlements. The park has a total area of 2750 square kilometres (1,061.8 sq mi). The average elevation is 559.31 metres (1,835 ft). However, the entire Simlipal area is undulating, rising from 600 metres (1,968.5 ft) to 1500 metres (4,921.3 ft). The high hills of Simlipal are surrounding Meghasani, the highest peak in the national park. at an altitude of 1165 metres (3,822.2 ft), followed by Khairiburu at above 1000 metres (3,280.8 ft) elevation. At least 12 rivers cut across the plain area. The prominent among them are Budhabalanga
, Palpala Bandan, Kahairi and Deo
. This sprawling forest also has many waterfalls such as, Joranda 493 feet (150.3 m) and Barehipani that are a perpetual attraction to the tourist, the latter at an elevation of 1308 feet (398.7 m) gives a panoramic view of the park. It has withstood two cyclones in 1982 and 1999 without any prominent damages.
Summers are very hot with temperatures around 40 °C (104 °F) whereas the temperature during winter months can be as low as 14 °C (57.2 °F). The rainfall ranges from moderate to heavy.
-prone zone. In cerebral malaria the sequestrated red blood cells can breach the blood brain barrier
possibly leading to coma . Cerebral malaria, if not detected, causes death within 15 days of infection.
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. For further information on deadly infection threats related to forest visits in India, one may refer to the website of the Centre for Tropical Medicine and Parasitology, Kolkata, India.
with tropical moist broadleaf forest and tropical moist deciduous forests with dry deciduous hill forest and high level Sal forests. The grasslands and the savannas provide grazing grounds for the herbivores and hiding place to the carnivores. The forest boasts of innumerable medicinal and aromatic plants, which provide a source of earnings for the tribal people. Eucalyptus
, plantated by the British
during the 1900 are also found.
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
, Leopard
, Asian elephant
, Sambar
, Barking deer, Gaur
, Jungle cat
, Wild boar, Chausingha (four horned antelope), Giant squirrel and Common langur. 231 species of birds nest in these forests. Red Junglefowl
, Hill Mynah, Peacock, Alexandrine Parakeet
, Crested Serpent Eagle
are the commonly found bird. The Grey Hornbill
, Indian Pied Hornbill
, Malabar Pied Hornbill
and Indian Trogon
are also found in the reserve. Apart from the large number of mammals and bird species, the park has a sizeable population of reptiles, which includes snakes and turtles. The "Mugger Crocodile
Management Programme" has helped the Mugger crocodile (Crocodylus palustris) to survive and flourish on the banks of Khairi river.
National parks of India
This is a list of all national parks of India. India's first national park was established in 1936 as Hailey National Park, now known as Jim Corbett National Park. By 1970, India only had five national parks...
and an elephant reserve situated in the Mayurbhanj district
Mayurbhanj District
Mayurbhanj district is one of the 30 districts in Orissa state in eastern India. It is the largest district of Orissa by area. Baripada city is the district headquarters. As of 2011 it is the third most populous district of Orissa , after Ganjam and Cuttack.-History:Mayurbhanj District was formed...
in the India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n state of Orissa
Orissa
Orissa , officially Odisha since Nov 2011, is a state of India, located on the east coast of India, by the Bay of Bengal. It is the modern name of the ancient nation of Kalinga, which was invaded by the Maurya Emperor Ashoka in 261 BC. The modern state of Orissa was established on 1 April...
. Simlipal National Park derives its name from the abundance of Semul or red silk cotton trees that bloom vividly.
The park has an area of 845.7 square kilometres (326.5 sq mi) and has some beautiful waterfalls like Joranda
Joranda Falls
The Joranda Falls is located in the core area of Simlipal National Park in Mayurbhanj district in the Indian state of Orissa. The Barehipani Falls is located close to the Joranda Falls. It is the 19th highest waterfall in India.-The falls:...
and Barehipani
Barehipani Falls
The Barehipani Falls is located in the core area of Simlipal National Park in Mayurbhanj district in the Indian state of Orissa. It is the 2nd highest waterfall in India.-Location:...
. Simlipal is home to ninety-nine Royal Bengal Tigers, 432 Wild elephants
Asian Elephant
The Asian or Asiatic elephant is the only living species of the genus Elephas and distributed in Southeast Asia from India in the west to Borneo in the east. Three subspecies are recognized — Elephas maximus maximus from Sri Lanka, the Indian elephant or E. m. indicus from mainland Asia, and E. m....
. Besides Simlipal is famous for Gaur
Gaur
The gaur , also called Indian bison, is a large bovine native to South Asia and Southeast Asia. The species is listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List since 1986 as the population decline in parts of the species' range is likely to be well over 70% over the last three generations...
s (Indian Bison
Bison
Members of the genus Bison are large, even-toed ungulates within the subfamily Bovinae. Two extant and four extinct species are recognized...
s), Chausingha, as well as an orchidarium.
One can enter into Similipal through Pithabata (22 kilometres (13.7 mi) from Baripada) and 98 km via Jashipur. Entry permits can be obtained from the Range Officer, Pithabata check gate upon paying prescribed fees. Day visitors can enter between 6 AM & 12 Noon and visitors with reservation between 6 AM & 9 AM. Similipal National Park remains open from 1 October to 15 June only.
History
Simlipal elephant reserve originated mainly as a hunting ground for the royalty. It was formally designated a tiger reserve in 1956 and under Project TigerProject Tiger
Project Tiger was launched in 1972 in India. The project aims at ensuring a viable population of tigers in their natural habitats and preserving areas of biological importance as a natural heritage for the people. The selection of areas for the reserves represented as close as possible the...
in May 1973. “Mugger Crocodile Scheme” was started in the year 1979 at Ramatirtha, Jashipur.
Government of Orissa
Government of Orissa
The Government of Orissa also known as the State Government of Orissa, or locally as State Government, is the supreme governing authority of the Indian state of Orissa and its 30 districts...
declared Simlipal as a wildlife sanctuary in 1979 with an area of 2200 square kilometres (849.4 sq mi). Later in 1980, Government of Orissa proposed 303 square kilometres (117 sq mi) of the sanctuary as a National Park. Further in 1986, area of the national park was increased to 845.7 square kilometres (326.5 sq mi). Government of India
Government of India
The Government of India, officially known as the Union Government, and also known as the Central Government, was established by the Constitution of India, and is the governing authority of the union of 28 states and seven union territories, collectively called the Republic of India...
declared Simlipal as a biosphere reserve
Biosphere reserve
The Man and the Biosphere Programme of UNESCO was established in 1971 to promote interdisciplinary approaches to management, research and education in ecosystem conservation and sustainable use of natural resources.-Development:...
in 1994. UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
added this National park to its list of Biosphere Reserve
Biosphere reserve
The Man and the Biosphere Programme of UNESCO was established in 1971 to promote interdisciplinary approaches to management, research and education in ecosystem conservation and sustainable use of natural resources.-Development:...
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 fifteen biosphere
Biosphere
The biosphere is the global sum of all ecosystems. It can also be called the zone of life on Earth, a closed and self-regulating system...
s of India.
Geography and climate
The park is located in the Mayurbhanj districtMayurbhanj District
Mayurbhanj district is one of the 30 districts in Orissa state in eastern India. It is the largest district of Orissa by area. Baripada city is the district headquarters. As of 2011 it is the third most populous district of Orissa , after Ganjam and Cuttack.-History:Mayurbhanj District was formed...
in the India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n state of Orissa
Orissa
Orissa , officially Odisha since Nov 2011, is a state of India, located on the east coast of India, by the Bay of Bengal. It is the modern name of the ancient nation of Kalinga, which was invaded by the Maurya Emperor Ashoka in 261 BC. The modern state of Orissa was established on 1 April...
.
Simlipal elephant Reserve is an ecosystem complete with forest vegetation (mainly sal trees), fauna and the adjoining Santhal tribal settlements. The park has a total area of 2750 square kilometres (1,061.8 sq mi). The average elevation is 559.31 metres (1,835 ft). However, the entire Simlipal area is undulating, rising from 600 metres (1,968.5 ft) to 1500 metres (4,921.3 ft). The high hills of Simlipal are surrounding Meghasani, the highest peak in the national park. at an altitude of 1165 metres (3,822.2 ft), followed by Khairiburu at above 1000 metres (3,280.8 ft) elevation. At least 12 rivers cut across the plain area. The prominent among them are Budhabalanga
Budhabalanga River
The Budhabalanga River flows through the districts of Mayurbhanj and Balasore in the Indian state of Orissa.-Course:...
, Palpala Bandan, Kahairi and Deo
Deo River
Deo River flows through West Singhbhum in the Indian state of Jharkhand. It rises on the western side of the Gamharia plateau and flows into the South Karo river after a course of about . It receives the Puilgara, a fair-sized mountain stream, from the Santara forest block....
. This sprawling forest also has many waterfalls such as, Joranda 493 feet (150.3 m) and Barehipani that are a perpetual attraction to the tourist, the latter at an elevation of 1308 feet (398.7 m) gives a panoramic view of the park. It has withstood two cyclones in 1982 and 1999 without any prominent damages.
Summers are very hot with temperatures around 40 °C (104 °F) whereas the temperature during winter months can be as low as 14 °C (57.2 °F). The rainfall ranges from moderate to heavy.
Caution: Cerebral malaria
Simlipal falls under a high cerebral malariaMalaria
Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease of humans and other animals caused by eukaryotic protists of the genus Plasmodium. The disease results from the multiplication of Plasmodium parasites within red blood cells, causing symptoms that typically include fever and headache, in severe cases...
-prone zone. In cerebral malaria the sequestrated red blood cells can breach the blood brain barrier
Blood-brain barrier
The blood–brain barrier is a separation of circulating blood and the brain extracellular fluid in the central nervous system . It occurs along all capillaries and consists of tight junctions around the capillaries that do not exist in normal circulation. Endothelial cells restrict the diffusion...
possibly leading to coma . Cerebral malaria, if not detected, causes death within 15 days of infection.
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. For further information on deadly infection threats related to forest visits in India, one may refer to the website of the Centre for Tropical Medicine and Parasitology, Kolkata, India.
Flora and fauna
The park is a treasure house of 1076 species of plants belonging to 102 families. 96 species of orchids have also been identified here. It has a mixed type of vegetation known as Orissa semi-evergreen forestsOrissa semi-evergreen forests
The Orissa semi-evergreen forests are a tropical moist broadleaf forest ecoregion of eastern India. The ecoregion covers an area of on the coastal plain of Orissa state, bounded on the north and west by the Eastern Highlands moist deciduous forests and on the south and west by the Bay of...
with tropical moist broadleaf forest and tropical moist deciduous forests with dry deciduous hill forest and high level Sal forests. The grasslands and the savannas provide grazing grounds for the herbivores and hiding place to the carnivores. The forest boasts of innumerable medicinal and aromatic plants, which provide a source of earnings for the tribal people. Eucalyptus
Eucalyptus
Eucalyptus is a diverse genus of flowering trees in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae. Members of the genus dominate the tree flora of Australia...
, plantated by the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
during the 1900 are also found.
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
Tiger
The tiger is the largest cat species, reaching a total body length of up to and weighing up to . Their most recognizable feature is a pattern of dark vertical stripes on reddish-orange fur with lighter underparts...
, Leopard
Leopard
The leopard , Panthera pardus, is a member of the Felidae family and the smallest of the four "big cats" in the genus Panthera, the other three being the tiger, lion, and jaguar. The leopard was once distributed across eastern and southern Asia and Africa, from Siberia to South Africa, but its...
, Asian elephant
Asian Elephant
The Asian or Asiatic elephant is the only living species of the genus Elephas and distributed in Southeast Asia from India in the west to Borneo in the east. Three subspecies are recognized — Elephas maximus maximus from Sri Lanka, the Indian elephant or E. m. indicus from mainland Asia, and E. m....
, Sambar
Sambar Deer
The Sambar ' is a large deer native to southern and southeast Asia. Although it primarily refers to R. unicolor, the name "Sambar" is also sometimes used to refer to the Philippine Deer and the Rusa Deer...
, Barking deer, Gaur
Gaur
The gaur , also called Indian bison, is a large bovine native to South Asia and Southeast Asia. The species is listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List since 1986 as the population decline in parts of the species' range is likely to be well over 70% over the last three generations...
, Jungle cat
Jungle Cat
The jungle cat is a medium-sized cat and considered the largest remaining species of the wild cat genus Felis. The species is also called the swamp lynx but is not closely related to the lynxes....
, Wild boar, Chausingha (four horned antelope), Giant squirrel and Common langur. 231 species of birds nest in these forests. Red Junglefowl
Red Junglefowl
The Red Junglefowl is a tropical member of the Pheasant family. They are thought to be ancestors of the domestic chicken with some hybridisation with the Grey Junglefowl...
, Hill Mynah, Peacock, Alexandrine Parakeet
Alexandrine Parakeet
The Alexandrine Parakeet or Alexandrian Parrot is a member of the psittaciformes order and of the psittacines family...
, Crested Serpent Eagle
Crested Serpent Eagle
The Crested Serpent Eagle is a medium-sized bird of prey that is found in forested habitats across tropical Asia. Within its widespread range, there are considerable variations and some authorities prefer to treat several of its subspecies as completely separate species. In the past, several...
are the commonly found bird. The Grey Hornbill
Grey Hornbill
Gray Hornbill may refer to one of several distinct species of Hornbills:* African Grey Hornbill, Tockus nasutus* Malabar Grey Hornbill, Ocyceros griseus* Indian Grey Hornbill, Ocyceros birostris* Sri Lanka Grey Hornbill, Ocyceros gingalensis...
, Indian Pied Hornbill
Great Hornbill
The Great Hornbill also known as Great Indian Hornbill or Great Pied Hornbill, is one of the larger members of the hornbill family. Great Hornbills are found in the forests of Nepal, India, the Malay Peninsula and Sumatra, Indonesia. Their impressive size and colour have made them important in...
, Malabar Pied Hornbill
Malabar Pied Hornbill
The Malabar Pied Hornbill is a hornbill. Hornbills are a family of tropical near-passerine birds found in the Old World....
and Indian Trogon
Malabar Trogon
The Malabar Trogon is a species of bird in the trogon family. It is found in the forests of Sri Lanka and peninsular India. In India it is mainly found in the Western Ghats, hill forests of central India and in parts of the Eastern Ghats...
are also found in the reserve. Apart from the large number of mammals and bird species, the park has a sizeable population of reptiles, which includes snakes and turtles. The "Mugger Crocodile
Mugger Crocodile
The mugger crocodile , also called the Indian, Indus, Persian, or marsh crocodile, is found throughout the Indian subcontinent and the surrounding countries...
Management Programme" has helped the Mugger crocodile (Crocodylus palustris) to survive and flourish on the banks of Khairi river.