Mayurbhanj

The Similipal Tiger Reserve launched a massive grassland restoration initiative aimed at boosting prey populations and strengthening the wild tiger habitat, as conservation teams work to bring back open grasslands that once covered large parts of the area.

At the initiative of the Odisha government, the Similipal Tiger Reserve (STR) has begun an ambitious programme to restore more than 500 hectares of damaged grasslands, with the aim of rebuilding key wildlife habitats and strengthening the food supply for animals, particularly the prey species that tigers depend on for survival.

Explaining the significance of the initiative, Prakash Chand Gogineni, Regional Chief Conservator of Forests and Field Director of Similipal Tiger Reserve, said, "These grasslands are the foundation of the food chain. Healthy grasslands support herbivores, and these herbivores ultimately sustain carnivores, including tigers."

The first phase of the restoration work has already begun, with forest staff undertaking restoration of 70 hectares of degraded meadows 50 hectares in the South Wildlife Division and 20 hectares in the North Wildlife Division. During the 2025-26 financial year, around 40 hectares of barren patches were restored through complete seeding, and these areas are already showing signs of greening with native grasses. Wildlife is expected to move into these patches following the next natural cycle of seed dispersal. 

Rather than relying on commercially available grass seeds, the restoration teams are collecting seeds of native grasses that grow naturally in the surrounding areas of Similipal, a method aimed at preserving the original ecological character of the forest. Forest officials are also developing permanent grass seed nurseries to ensure a steady supply of native seeds for future restoration work. Among four different restoration methods tested by the reserve, complete seeding has emerged as the most successful.

Similipal, known for its tall sal trees and dense forest cover, once had open grassy patches interspersed among the trees that provided food and space for a variety of wild animals. Over the years, several of these meadows became overgrown with invasive plants or suffered degradation, leading to a decline in herbivore populations in certain pockets and, consequently, greater difficulty for tigers and other large carnivores in finding adequate food.

Spanning nearly 2,750 square kilometres, the reserve is one of India's most significant wilderness landscapes and a vital refuge for the Royal Bengal Tiger. It has nearly 1,250 hectares of recorded meadows that serve as feeding grounds for herbivores such as deer, gaur and other wild grazers. More than 40 per cent of these grasslands have deteriorated over the years due to increasing grazing pressure and the spread of non-native weeds.

Through the restoration of native grasslands, the forest department hopes to reverse this decline, since native grasses are better suited to the local soil, rainfall and climatic conditions. As these grasses return, herbivores such as sambar, spotted deer and wild pigs are expected to find more food, creating a stronger and more stable prey base to sustain the reserve's tiger population.

The restoration work is being carried out in a phased and careful manner, with forest staff prioritising the most degraded areas first to ensure early visible results. Once the initial restored patches show healthy recovery, the programme is expected to be expanded towards the larger target of restoring more than 500 hectares across the reserve.

Officials say the initiative reflects a broader approach to modern wildlife conservation that goes beyond anti-poaching and patrolling efforts, focusing instead on maintaining a healthy and productive forest ecosystem, with grasslands playing a critical, if often overlooked, role in sustaining the food chain from the ground up.

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By using local seed sources and working systematically across both the northern and southern divisions, forest officials aim to bring about lasting ecological improvements rather than short-term fixes, with the broader goal of restoring open meadows that once defined parts of the Similipal landscape and ensuring a stronger, more sustainable future for its wildlife.