Similipal National Tiger Reserve to be closed during monsoon

Baripada: The Similipal National Park and Tiger Reserve will remain closed for tourists from June 16, according to a statement issued by the park authority here on Friday.

Harish Kumar Bisht, field director of the Tiger Reserve said, the sanctuary is usually closed by mid-June as the internal roads and other communication channels are washed away during the rainy season.

Hence, the entry of tourists is prohibited till the end of monsoon. The date of reopening would be notified after the monsoon is over, Bisht said.

Located in northern Odisha, the Similipal National Park, famous for its pristine beauty coupled with its varied flora and fauna, attracts tourists from the country and abroad every year.

Spread over 2750 sq km, the park is considered to be the largest tiger reserve of the country. Rare melanistic tiger or black tiger has been photographed in the core area of the Tiger Reserve. (With inputs from PTI).