Gorumara National Park

Prelims: Current events of national and international importance | Environment and conservation

Why in News?

The population of one-horned rhinos has risen at the Gorumara National Park in Jalpaiguri with the birth of two rhinos in mid-August, senior foresters said recently.

Gorumara is Bengal’s second-largest rhino habitat after Jaldapara National Park in Alipurduar.
Located in - Jalpaiguri, West Bengal.
The park features forests and riverine grasslands in the Terai region of the foothills of the Eastern Himalayas.
It was established as a wildlife sanctuary in 1949 and was declared a national park in 1992.
Fauna - Indian rhinoceros, Asian elephant, Indian bison, leopard, sambar deer, barking deer, spotted deer, wild boar, and many species of birds, including peafowl, red jungle fowl and Indian hornbill.
Flora - Sal forests with Common Teak, Rain Tree (Shirish or Albizia lebbeck), and Silk Cotton (Shimul or Bombax malabaricum) trees Bamboo groves, Terai grassland vegetation and tropical riverine reeds.
Gorumara is home to numerous tropical orchids.
Rivers - It is situated on the banks of River Murti and Raidak.
The major conservation focus of the park is to maintain a viable breeding community of Indian Rhinoceroses.

Greater One-Horned Rhinoceros

Scientific Name - Rhinoceros unicornis.
Habitat - Found in the Indo-Nepal terai, Northern West Bengal, and Assam, with Kaziranga National Park being a critical habitat.
Distribution - It can be found in India and Nepal, particularly in the foothills of the Himalayas.
Appearance – It is characterized by its large, bulky body covered in thick, grey-brown skin that forms distinctive armor-like folds, giving it an ancient appearance.
It possesses a single, black horn on its snout made of keratin, a prehensile upper lip, and poor eyesight but excellent hearing and smell.
They are the largest of the Asian rhinos, with males being significantly larger than females.

One-horned rhino

Conservation Status - IUCN - Vulnerable.
Major Threats
- Poaching - For their horns, which are highly valued in some cultures.
- Habitat Loss & Degradation - Due to factors like invasive plant species.
Conservation Initiatives
- Indian Rhino Vision 2020 (IRV 2020): An ambitious campaign aiming to increase wild rhino numbers in Assam.
- National Rhino Conservation Strategy: A plan involving India and Nepal to manage rhino populations across the political boundary.

Reference

Telegraph India | Gorumara National Park

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