Prelims (GS I) – Current events of national and international importance| Environmental ecology, Bio-diversity and Climate Change.
Mains (GS I) – Conservation
Why in news?
Recently, the Odisha government officially notified Similipal Tiger Reserve (STR) as a National Park.
- Similipal National Park – Is the 107th national park in India and 2nd national park in Odisha.
Similipal is also a wildlife sanctuary, tiger reserve, UNESCO biosphere reserve and elephant reserve.
- Location – Similipal in Odisha’s Mayurbhanj district.
- Vegetation – Tropical Moist Deciduous Forests, Semi-Evergreen Forests, Dry Deciduous Forests, Grasslands.
- Fauna of Similipal National Park:
- Royal Bengal tigers (Panthera Tigris) - 40
- Asian Elephant (Elephas maximus) - 25% of Odisha’s elephant population
- Leopard (Panthera pardus)
- Sambar (Rusa unicolor)
- Mugger Crocodile (Crocodylus palustris)
- 360 species of birds
The tigers of Similipal possess higher-than-normal levels of melanin, giving them coats that are blacker with yellow stripes and are described as pseudo-melanistic tiger.
The pseudo-melanistic tiger is a colour variant of the Bengal tiger and its strange coat is a result of a mutation in a particular gene.
Greater Similipal Landscape Programme
- It is a conservation initiative by the Odisha Forest Department to conserve Similipal national park and its surrounding ecological corridors.
- Key Components of the programme:
- AI-powered camera towers systems for real-time wildlife monitoring and poaching prevention.
- V-SAT (Very Small Aperture Terminal) communication networks to ensure surveillance in remote, connectivity-challenged zones.
- Diversifying Tiger population by introduction of two female tigers from Tadoba Andheri Tiger Reserve (Maharashtra) and to increase tiger population to 100 by 2036.
- Community Engagement – Integrated with the Ama Similipal Yojana, which focuses on:
- Livelihood enhancement and skill training for local tribal communities (e.g., Kolha, Santhala, Khadia).
- Promotion of eco-tourism and cultural tourism to generate income while raising conservation awareness.
Reference
The Indian Express| Similipal designated Odisha’s second national park
