Simlipal National Park

Published on 15 Oct 2025

• The Odisha government recently notified the Similipal Tiger Reserve (STR), the world’s only home to wild melanistic tigers, as a national park.

• It is the 107th national park and the second in the eastern state, after Bhitarkanika.

• Similipal, located in Odisha’s Mayurbhanj district, is home to 40 royal Bengal tigers, shelter to 25% of Odisha’s elephant population and 104 orchid species, many endemic to the region. 

• It is a haven for over 360 species of birds, and diverse mammals like leopards, sambar, and mugger crocodiles.

• The forests of Similipal are a mix of sal trees, moist deciduous, and semi-evergreen types.

• The tigers of Similipal possess higher-than-normal levels of melanin, giving them coats that are more black with yellow stripes. 

• Due to their unique lineage, they may be accurately described as pseudo-melanistic

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https://images.indianexpress.com/2024/01/black-tiger4.jpg

Keywords:

Simlipal National Park National Park Tiger Reserve TR Odisha melanistic tigers Odisha Bhitarkanika Bengal tigers Biodiversity Conservation Environment