The Similipal Tiger Reserve in Mayurbhanj district in Odisha has been placed in second position in the safety index of the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA).

The NTCA has issued the safety index using state-of-the-art technology for the conservation of wildlife, tiger conservation projects and rare biodiversity. While the Dudhwa National Park of Madhya Pradesh topped the index, the Satkosia wildlife sanctuary in Odisha’s Angul district found the 11th place in the list.

The NTCA had monitored the patrolling system at 34 tiger sanctuaries in the country through the M-STrIPES app. Based on the findings, the Similipal Tiger Reserve project occupied the second spot in terms of forest safety, according to Baripada Regional Chief Conservator of Forest (RCCF) M Yogajayananda.

The M-STrIPES app measures how many kilometers the sanctuary is patrolled within a specified timeframe. According to the NTCA and the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), 50,000 km of patrolling had been carried out in the Similipal sanctuary during the same period.

Yogajayananda said the role of 400 protection assistants (PAs) and about 200 forest guards working for the safety of Similipal was important. Despite inclement weather and harsh conditions, they patrol day and night in every beat of Similipal.

For forest protection, Similipal has been divided into various grids. A team comprising of two or three PAs and a Forest Guard has been formed for safety of the sanctuary. Through this M-STrIPES app, the patrol system is monitored every month and the report is sent to the NTCA. Based on data from various tiger reserve projects across the country, the NTCA carries out an evaluation process. The present index hints that Similipal would be the country’s No.1 sanctuary in the coming days in terms of forest protection, the official stated.