In the heart of Odisha, where ancient sal forests whisper tales of tigers and elephants, a momentous chapter in India’s conservation story has just been written. Similipal, a land teeming with life and mystery, has been formally declared a national park by the Odisha government — a decision decades in the making, and one that promises a vibrant future for the state’s natural legacy.
Covering 845.70 square kilometers, Similipal now stands as Odisha’s largest national park and proudly joins the esteemed ranks as India’s 107th national park. But beyond the numbers lies a story of persistence, hope, and the timeless bond between nature and humanity.
A Dream Four Decades in the Making
The journey to Similipal’s new status traces back to 1980, when the idea of national park recognition first took root. Even then, the region’s breathtaking biodiversity — its leopards slipping through the mist, its herds of elephants stirring the riverbeds, and its forests alive with birdcalls — was undeniable.
Before that, in 1975, Similipal was declared a wildlife sanctuary, a protective cloak that nevertheless fell short of the stricter, enduring safeguards a national park designation offers. For nearly half a century, conservationists, forest officials, and local communities worked tirelessly, their dreams fueled by the vision of securing Similipal’s place among India’s most cherished wild spaces.
At long last, that vision has become reality.
An Ecological Wonderland
Similipal is not merely a stretch of forest; it is a symphony of life.
- 55 species of mammals roam its depths — from the stealthy leopard to the majestic elephant.
- 361 species of birds paint the sky with flashes of vibrant color and song.
- 62 species of reptiles and 21 species of amphibians lurk under leaf and stone, weaving an intricate web of life often hidden to the casual eye.
Much of Similipal’s soul is entwined with the Similipal Tiger Reserve, a sprawling conservation area covering 2,750 square kilometers. Its core critical tiger habitat, notified in 2007, spans 1,194.75 square kilometers — a heartland fiercely protected for one of the world’s most iconic predators.
In every tree, every flowing stream, every footprint on the forest floor, Similipal whispers of ancient Earth, still breathing, still wild.
The Struggles Behind the Glory
But achieving national park status was no fairy tale.
One of the thorniest challenges was human habitation. Six resilient villages nestled within the park’s proposed core zone — generations of families with deep spiritual and survival ties to the land. The government, walking a delicate line between conservation and human rights, successfully relocated several communities. Yet Bakua village remains, its presence too rooted, too vital to uproot.
In a decision reflecting respect as much as pragmatism, Bakua was carefully excluded from the national park’s final boundary. The landscape, it seems, tells not just a story of wildlife, but of human endurance, memory, and belonging.
A New Dawn for Conservation
With national park status, Similipal’s guardians — the forest department — are now armed with stronger conservation powers. Stricter enforcement against encroachments, poaching, and deforestation is now possible. Greater funding and resources can flow into habitat restoration, research, and community engagement.
But this is about more than just policing or preserving. It’s about reimagining a relationship between people and wilderness — one where protection, livelihood, and pride can grow together.
The Odisha government envisions Similipal not as a sealed fortress of biodiversity, but as a living landscape where sustainability and heritage walk hand in hand.
Walking Together with the Tribes of the Forest
For the tribal communities who call the forest their mother and muse, this declaration carries a profound promise.
Conservation efforts tied with sustainable development initiatives mean improved infrastructure, education, healthcare, and livelihood options — all while honoring traditional knowledge and cultural practices that have long coexisted harmoniously with nature.
Rather than being sidelined by conservation, the local tribes are being invited to become stewards of Similipal’s future. Their voices, their stories, and their wisdom will be vital in ensuring the forest doesn’t just survive — but thrives.
A Living Legacy
Similipal today stands at a luminous crossroads — a bridge between the past and the possible.
As monsoon rains nourish its ancient groves and the sun dapples its clearings in gold, the park hums with an ageless truth: we are part of the wild, and it is part of us. Protecting it is not an act of charity, but one of remembering who we are.
With this new designation, Similipal doesn’t just earn a title.
It reclaims its rightful place — as a crown jewel of Odisha, a treasure of India, and a hope for the world.