Baripada: The Similipal Tiger Reserve in Mayurbhanj reopened for tourists on Saturday, after remaining shut during the monsoon months, an official notification said. The STR, spread over 2,759 sq km, was closed from June 30 to October 17.

Rare melanistic tigers, the Royal Bengal Tiger, leopards, Asian elephants, barking deer, four-horned antelopes and giant squirrels are among the prime attractions at the Similipal Tiger Reserve. It also has a variety of plant species, 96 types of orchids, 242 categories of birds and 30 reptiles.

Earlier, according to a notification issued by STR Field Director Prakash Chand Gogineni, a maximum of 60 vehicles will be allowed inside the national park daily. Maximum 35 vehicles will be allowed from Jashipur checkgate, while 25 vehicles will enter the STR through Pithabata checkgate, Baripada.

Tourists can visit the National Park from the entry point in Jashipur from 5 am to 9 am and Pithabata entry point in Baripada division from 8 am to 9 am. The tourists have to leave Similipal Tiger Reserve through the exit gates by 6 pm on the same day.

Besides, the tourists can also tour the national park through open jeep safari. Morning time wildlife safari will start from 5.30 am and continue for 5 hours, and evening time wildlife safari will start at 2 pm and end in 4 hours. As many as 38,483 tourists, including 12 foreigners, visited Similipal in 2024-25, generating revenue of Rs 4.26 crore, Gogineni said.