By Arindam Ganguly, OPBaripada: On International Tiger Day, Similipal Tiger Reserve (STR) stands as one of India’s most remarkable wildlife conservation success stories. Spread across nearly 2,750 sq km, Similipal is Odisha’s largest tiger habitat and one of India’s richest biodiversity hotspots. Former Additional Director General (Project Tiger) and former Member Secretary of the National Tiger Conservation Authority, Anup Nayak, said, “Local communities play a vital role in the success of any conservation programme, and tiger conservation is no exception. While India today hosts nearly 70 per cent of the world’s wild tiger population, challenges such as increasing human-tiger conflict will continue to grow alongside tiger numbers.” “Tiger conservation cannot rest on the shoulders of a handful of individuals.