Mayurbhanj, Oct 10: Similipal National Park in Mayurbhanj district reopened its gates to visitors today after being closed for nearly four months. This reopening comes just in time for the upcoming Durga Puja holidays, providing a welcome opportunity for tourists to explore the park.
Spanning approximately 2,750 square kilometers, Similipal is one of the largest national parks in India. While 25 tourist vehicles are allowed to enter through the Pithabata gate, 35 vehicles to enter the park via Kalikaprasad gate.
All the tourist vehicles will, however, exit the park through the Kalikaprasad gate. The ticket counter at Kalikaprasad gate will remain open from 6 am to 12 noon and the one near Pithabata gate will operate from 11 am to 1 pm.
To celebrate the reopening, park authorities greeted visitors with flower garlands at the entry points. Additionally, accommodations for night stays at Gudgudia, Kumari, Ramtirtha, Barehipani, and Jamuani can be booked through the official website, www.ecotourodisha.com.
In exciting news for wildlife enthusiasts, the State Government plans to launch a black tiger safari near the Similipal Tiger Reserve soon. Four black tigers from Nandankanan Zoo will be relocated to a dedicated safari zone, following the necessary approvals from the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) and the Central Zoo Authority (CZA).
Historically, visitors to Similipal had a less than 1 percent chance of spotting a tiger. The introduction of the Black Tiger Safari aims to enhance the experience for tourists, allowing them a unique opportunity to observe these rare and majestic melanistic tigers, which are found exclusively in Odisha. This initiative is expected to attract more visitors eager to witness this extraordinary species in its natural habitat.