Gorumara National Park: Explore the Wilderness

Gorumara National Park is a medium-sized park with grasslands and woodlands, situated in West Bengal and along the Duars in the Himalayan foothills. Until 1895, it was a reserve forest, but finally, in 1949, Gorumara was designated as a Wildlife Sanctuary. Today, the park is mostly known for its population of rhinoceros. 

The Ministry of Environment and Forests recognised the park to be the best among India’s protected areas in 2009. Let’s take a close look at the Gorumara National Park’s history, flora and fauna, and more in this article. 

History 

Gorumara National Park was a reserve forest in the 19th and early 20th century. However, on 31st January 1949, it was declared as a Wildlife Sanctuary as the population of Indian rhinoceros had significantly increased in the area. Earlier, the park spread over 7 square kilometres. Since then, it has expanded significantly and now covers an area of 80 square kilometres.

Though there is no evidence of human presence, various ethnic settlements surround Gorumara. Over 10,000 forest inhabitants earn money from jobs in the forest department, ecotourism, and other sources. 

Geography 

The Gorumara National Park is located in the Malbazar subdivision of the Jalpaiguri district in West Bengal along the Easter Himalayan region. The Dooars in West Bengal is a mountainous region with woods and riverine grasslands. It is situated on the Murti and Raidak Rivers flood basins. The Jaldhaka river is a part of the Brahmaputra river system, and it is the park’s main waterway. 

Jaldapara National Park and Chapramari Wildlife Reserve are both within easy driving distance of the park. The park encompasses an area of 80 square kilometres. From November to February, the temperature ranges from 11 to 22 degrees Celsius, from March to April, from 25 to 28 degrees Celsius, and from May to October, from 28 to 38℃. The rainy season lasts from mid-May to mid-October, with an annual rainfall of 384 cm on average.

Flora and Fauna

Flora of Gorumara National Park

Sal is, by far, the most common and popular tree in this National Park. Khair, Siris, Teak, Bamboo, Riverine meadows, and Simul can also be found here.

Fauna of Gorumara National Park

• Fifty mammalian species, 194 bird species, 22 reptile species, 7 turtle species, and 27 fish species macro and microfauna have been reported in the park.
• Chital, sloth bear, Asian elephant, Indian rhinoceros, sambar deer, and gaur are among the major herbivores found in the park.
• Barking deer, hog deer, and wild boar are three small herbivores. The leopard is the only huge carnivore. Indian wild dogs and Indian wolves, and Bengal tigers do not have a resident population in the park. Tigers, on the other hand, can be seen here on occasion. 
• Various civets, mongooses, and small cats are among the small carnivores found there. 
• The park has also been home to the endangered hispid hare.
• Asian paradise flycatchers and spangled drongos, Scarlet minivets, sunbird, and Indian hornbills are some of the submontane forest birds found in Gorumara National Park.
• The park is very homely to a plethora of woodpeckers and pheasants. Peafowl can be seen in large flocks. 
• Migratory species like the uncommon brahminy duck sometimes use the park as a stopover.
• The area is also a host of many venomous and non-venomous snakes. The most amongst these is the Indian python, one of the largest constrictors in the world. The park also sees a lot of King Cobras, which is the largest venomous snake in the world. 

Conclusion

Gorumara National Park is a medium-sized park with grasslands and woodland. It is situated in West Bengal along the foothills of the Himalayas. The park’s principal conservation goal is to keep an Indian rhinoceros breeding group alive and well. However, the park’s vast herbivore populations have experienced major skews due to the lack of large predators. 

The male-to-female ratio of rhinoceros increased from 1:3 to 1:1, resulting in battles and deaths between males. This National park is a major watershed area between the Ganges and Brahmaputra river systems. In recent years, the population of gaurs has doubled, posing a threat of overgrazing.