Simlipal national park is one of the less known parks in the country but blessed with rich flora and fauna. It is also one of the oldest wildlife sanctuary and became a Project Tiger reserve in 1973. Spread over a wide 2750 sq km, this park is located in Mayurbhanj district adjoining Bihar and West Bengal. The surrounding of the park comprises of hills and valleys, spanned over by brooks, perennial rivers and wondrous waterfalls. The forest is influenced by the environment of both eastern and western part of India so it has become a rare ground of various flora and fauna.



The forest of Similipal is covered with deciduous sal trees and marked by twelve rivers, which ramble through hills and plateaus creating some of the magnificent waterfalls. The most spectacular one is Barehipani waterfall with a 400 meter drop. Other one is Joranda waterfall, reflects nature's wonder. Tha park also a fabulous place for plant lovers. There are diverse kind of flora and the boast of at least 82 species of orchids. The jungle is an atmospheric mix of dense sal forests and rolling open savanna. The core is area is just 850sq km and a home to tigers.

The wildlife is also very impressive, there are about 29 reptile species, 231 birds and 42 mammals. Unfortunately tigers aren't tracked but at the Joranda salt lick there is a possibility to spot them. At Chahala salt lick wild elephants are plenty, more than 400. The best time to visit is early in the season before the heavy visitation of the park impacts animal behavior.

Flora

Similipal national park is a treasure house of diverse kind of plants. There are about 501 species of plants are found in the park. Apart from that there are 82 species of orchids. The park has a mixer of northern tropical semi evergreen trees and moist deciduous trees. There are also sal forest and deciduous hill forest are found the park. The park is full of herbivore species and for them there are grazing ground of savannas and grasslands. Most of the tribals in that region earns from the medicinal and aromatic plants,which are abundant in the park.

Fauna

The park is a rambling ecosystem and because of that almost every type of wildlife species are found here. The signature attraction of the park is tigers. Because of Tiger Conservation Project, tiger population closes to 100. There are other mammalian species like leopards, sambhars, langurs, deer, gaur, elephants, antelops, chitals, wild dogs, sloth bears, monkeys, hyenas and porcupines are found. If you are a bird lover there are around 230 species of birds in that region including peafowl, crested serpent eagle, gray hornbill, India pied hornbill, Malabar pied hornbill and Indian trogon. The forest has also conserve large number of reptiles such as crocodiles, snakes and turtles.