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Gorumara National Park

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Gorumara National Park (Bengali: গোরুমারা জাতীয় উদ্যান; Pron: ˌgɔ:rʊˈmɑ:rə; Gorumara Jatio Uddan) is a National Park in northern West Bengal, India. Located in the Dooars region of the Himalayan foothills, it is a medium-sized park with grasslands and forests. It is primarily known for its population of Indian rhinoceros. The park has been declared as the best among the protected areas in India by the Ministry of Environment and Forests for the year 2009. Having been a reserve forest since 1895, Gorumara was declared as a Wildlife Sanctuary in 1949, on account of its breeding population of Indian rhinoceros. It was granted official status as an Indian National Park on 31st January, 1994. Originally the park was as small as 7 km2. Since then Gorumara has grown by incorporating neighbouring lands to about 80 km. Political Geography: The park is located in the Malbazar subdivision of Jalpaiguri district, in the state of West Bengal in India. Physical geography: Gorumara is located in the Eastern Himalayas' submontane Terai belt. This region has rolling forests and riverine grasslands, and is known as the Dooars in West Bengal. The park is located on the flood plains of the Murti River and Raidak River. The major river of the park is the Jaldhaka river, a tributary of the Brahmaputra river system. In this regard, Gorumara is a significant watershed area between the Ganges and Brahmaputra river systems. The park is very close to Jaldapara National Park and Chapramari Wildlife Reserve. The park is 79.99 km (49.70 mi) in area. Climate: The temperature ranges from 10 to 21 °C (50 to 70 °F) from November to February, 24 to 27 °C (75 to 81 °F) from March to April and 27 to 37 °C (81 to 99 °F) from May to October. Rainfall mostly occurs between mid-May to mid-October and average annual rainfall is 382 cm (150 in) Conservation issuesEdit The major conservation focus of the park is to maintain a viable breeding community of Indian rhinoceroses. However, the lack of large predators has caused significantly worrying skews in the populations of large herbivores in the park. The rhinoceros male:female ratio, usually 1:3, shot up to 1:1 – resulting in male dominance fights and deaths. The gaur population also doubled in recent years, with risk of overgrazing. Poaching was a major issue in the park in the 1970s and 1980s, but now Gorumara is one of the parks least threatened by poaching, with well-equipped rangers and with villagers benefiting from park visitors. However, grazing from fringe villages, and man-made brush fires are major issues at the park. A recent issue at the park is the increasing number of train accidents involving elephants on railway lines near the park. Three elephants were killed in separate incidents on the same day in May 2006 in train mishaps. Indian Railways and park authorities are presently trying to address the problem. The best way to watch wildlife at the park is to use powerful binoculars, with night vision facilities at night, from the numerous well-located watchtowers at the park. The watchtowers are: Jatraprasad Watch Tower: Named after a legendary elephant Rhino Observation Point: Watch tower in front of the Gorumara forest bungalow Chandrachur Watch Tower (Old Khunia Watch Tower): Near the Murti forest bungalow Chukchuki Bird-watching Point: Good for birding Rhino Point Watch Tower There are no ranger-led or otherwise four-wheel drive vehicle or elephant-back forays into the jungle. Hiking is permitted on metalled roads, but is slightly unsafe considering the population of elephants, gaur and rhinoceros present in the park. The park is closed in the Monsoon season from 16 June to 15 September. The best time to visit Gorumara is from November to March. One can also visit the adjoining forest villages to get acquainted with the lifestyle and culture of the villagers. A live show of the ethnic tribal dance can be seen every evening in Budhuram Forest Village. One can visit the Lataguri Nature Interpretation Centre for an interpretive exhibit of the local natural history.

Bratati HaldarBratati Haldar

Gorumara national Park is situated in the Doars range of Jalpaiguri District. It is a reserve forest since 1895 with an area of only 7 sq.km. Incorporating adjacent area the total area of the park is now 79.99 sq.km. Due to the existence of Indian Rhinoceros it was declared as a Wild Life Sanctuary in 1949. The park was latter declared Indian National Park on 31/01/1994. Jaldapara National Park and Chapramari Wild Life Reserve are very near to this park. Murti River , Jaldhaka River and Raidak river are flowing through this park. Sal, Teak, Sirish, Simul are the main trees of this forest with huge grass land. Different kind of Orchids are found in Gorumara Forest. The park has large no of Indian Rhinoceros, gaur, elephant, bear, barking dear and spotted dear, wild boar and leopard. Different kind of birds are seen in the park and is best visible at the Chukchuki bird watching point. Large no of snakes both venomous and non-venomous are found in this forest. One of the largest snake of the world "Indian Python" and world's venomous snake "King Kobra" are found in this reserved forest. At present poaching in this park is reduced due to the vigilance of rangers and villager adjacent to the forest. At present the major issue of the park is the death of elephants due to train accidents. The main watch towers of this park are ; 1) Jatraprasad overlooking the Murti river, (2) Rhino observation point in front of Gorumara Forest Bungalow and (3) Chandrachur watch tower near Murti Forest Bungalow. The park remain closed during rainy season from 16th June to 15th September. There is a very old forest bungalow, since British Raj, near the Rhino observatory point. There are several hotels and tourist lodge near the forest. Best way to reach the forest is from New Jalpaiguri Railway Station which is about 68 km, from Maynaguri railway station the distance is 20 km and from New Mal Junction, it is at a distance of 23k. Tourist has to procure ticket from Forest Department Counter as entry fee along with the fare for jeep and guide fees. Duration of jeep safari is 2 hours. Jeep safari is available in the morning and afternoon. The ticket fees differs according t the different watch tower.Tourist has to produce a photo copy of his identity card at the ticket counter.Best time to visit is just after monsoon when the forest looks green. The vegetation in this park is so thick that sunlight rarely reaches the ground and in some places and seasons it is impossible to see through the thick forest. The perfect time to watch animals are morning and evening when the animals come out to drink river water. Generally during day time animals prefer to stay in dense forest. Gorumara National Forest has been declared as the best among the protected areas in India by the Ministry of Environment and forest for the year 2009. This forest has now became a prime tourist attraction due to the magnificent forest, breathtaking landscape and presence of Indian Rhinoceros. Ref: Wikipedia.

Malay MitraMalay Mitra

It's a bliss...endless stretch of greenery and the fresh air. The safari is a must-try here and one of the main attractions. There are 3 timings for safari: 6am,9am and 2pm. The early morning 6am slot timing is the best for safari. Tickets prices are: Rs.450 per head including a guide, plus another Rs.150 per vehicle entry fee. Each vehicle(top open gypsy jeeps) takes 4 passengers + 1 guide + 1 driver. You need to stand in line to get tickets and don't forget to take a xerox of your Aadhar card/other govt. id. There is a huge rush, so reach way before the timing and get a spot in the line(they have about 20 vehicles going per slot). The ticket counter is about 1km from Lake View Resort towards the market. Even if spotting a few animals here depends on luck, missing the wild experience would be a big mistake. There are 25 different kinds of orchids found here apart from many other trees worth watching. Amidst the forests, there are 2 tribal villages here. The roads running through the dense green forest on either side and the never-ending flow of cold breeze is perfect for any nature lover. It purifies your soul. A must-visit place for anyone willing to get a blend of little altitude, forest, small rivers and quiet, peaceful surroundings in the lap of nature.

Suman GhoshSuman Ghosh

180

Another place for Rhinos This national park is famous for one-horned Rhinos. Situated at foothill of himalaya, this place is also the natural habitation of Elephant & Leopards. Surrounding area is really picturesque. Lush green tea estates discretely spread within the dense woods and intersected by rivers & streams with Himalaya at backdrop provides an experience soothing for eye & soul. While stayed at 'Banani': a WBFDC Tourist Lodge, situated beside Murti River at the fringe area of the National Park, we visited the Park by afternoon Jeep Safari. The safari arranged from the lodge as per government specified rate. Each Jeep accommodates 6 person. The guide do all the formalities at entry point. However, one should keep a Xerox copy of photo identity to avoid any hassle, which requires at the time of tour booking . There are two watch tower, Jatra prasad (named after one famous captive elephant) & Rhino Point covered in the trip of 2.5 hrs approx. Don't trust the Agents and don't do booking through them, they took money extra unnecessarily. The jeep sarafi is for 2.5 hours approx and total 3 time slots are available per day. Cost is 2125/- for one jeep, maximum 6 people can onboard.

PRANOY CHAKRABORTYPRANOY CHAKRABORTY

Gorumara National Park is one of the most attractive places in West Bengal. This park is located in the Malbazar subdivision of Jalpaiguri district, in the state of West Bengal in India. This region has rolling forests and riverine grasslands, and is known as the Dooars in West Bengal. The park is located on the flood plains of the Murti River and Raidak River. The major river of the park is the Jaldhaka river, a tributary of the Brahmaputra river system. The park is rich in large herbivores including Indian rhinoceros, gaur, Asian elephant, sloth bear, chital, and sambar deer. Small herbivores include barking deer, hog deer and wild boar. Tigers are, however, occasionally spotted here. Birds at the Gorumara National Park include submontane forest birds like the scarlet minivet, sunbird, Asian paradise flycatchers, spangled drongo, and Indian hornbill. The park is home to a large number of snakes, venomous and non-venomous, including the Indian python, one of the largest snakes in the world, and the king cobra. To reach there you can go to New Mal Junction railway station or to Bagdogra airport. From there you can take taxi to reach the area.

Tutul BiswasTutul Biswas

Gorumara National Park is an important national park of North Bengal. It is situated just at the foot hills of Eastern Himalaya in Terai region, on the flood plains in Murti, Raidak. Jaldhaka a Tributary of Brahmaputra flows just beside the National Park. Gorumara has mixed vegetation of forest & grassland. It is famous for its good population of One Horned Indian Rhino. Ministry of Environment and Forest has declared Gorumara as the best among the protected areas in India for the year 2009. Gorumara was declared a reserve forest in 1895. In 1949 it was given a status of a wild life sanctuary. Later on Gorumara was declared as National Park in 1994. Gorumara National Park is spread over an area of approx 80 Square km. The forest area has come up as a tourist destination during the last decade. In recent years, there has been substantial increase in tourist arrival as well as infrastructure. Today the area around the forest has the largest concentration of tourist accommodation in Dooars. The number of jungle safari options has also increased over the years.

Sudipta DasSudipta Das

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Gorumara National Park is a National Park in northern West Bengal, India. Located in the Dooars region of the Himalayan foothills, it is a medium-sized park with grasslands and forests. Gorumara National Park was established in 1992. It is primarily known for its population of Indian rhinoceros.

Gorumara National Park (Bengali: গোরুমারা জাতীয় উদ্যান; Pron: ˌgɔ:rʊˈmɑ:rə; Gorumara Jatio Uddan) is a National Park in northern West Bengal, India. Located in the Dooars region of the Himalayan foothills, it is a medium-sized park with grasslands and forests. It is primarily known for its population of Indian rhinoceros. The park has been declared as the best among the protected areas in India by the Ministry of Environment and Forests for the year 2009. Having been a reserve forest since 1895, Gorumara was declared as a Wildlife Sanctuary in 1949, on account of its breeding population of Indian rhinoceros. It was granted official status as an Indian National Park on 31st January, 1994. Originally the park was as small as 7 km2. Since then Gorumara has grown by incorporating neighbouring lands to about 80 km. Political Geography: The park is located in the Malbazar subdivision of Jalpaiguri district, in the state of West Bengal in India. Physical geography: Gorumara is located in the Eastern Himalayas' submontane Terai belt. This region has rolling forests and riverine grasslands, and is known as the Dooars in West Bengal. The park is located on the flood plains of the Murti River and Raidak River. The major river of the park is the Jaldhaka river, a tributary of the Brahmaputra river system. In this regard, Gorumara is a significant watershed area between the Ganges and Brahmaputra river systems. The park is very close to Jaldapara National Park and Chapramari Wildlife Reserve. The park is 79.99 km (49.70 mi) in area. Climate: The temperature ranges from 10 to 21 °C (50 to 70 °F) from November to February, 24 to 27 °C (75 to 81 °F) from March to April and 27 to 37 °C (81 to 99 °F) from May to October. Rainfall mostly occurs between mid-May to mid-October and average annual rainfall is 382 cm (150 in) Conservation issuesEdit The major conservation focus of the park is to maintain a viable breeding community of Indian rhinoceroses. However, the lack of large predators has caused significantly worrying skews in the populations of large herbivores in the park. The rhinoceros male:female ratio, usually 1:3, shot up to 1:1 – resulting in male dominance fights and deaths. The gaur population also doubled in recent years, with risk of overgrazing. Poaching was a major issue in the park in the 1970s and 1980s, but now Gorumara is one of the parks least threatened by poaching, with well-equipped rangers and with villagers benefiting from park visitors. However, grazing from fringe villages, and man-made brush fires are major issues at the park. A recent issue at the park is the increasing number of train accidents involving elephants on railway lines near the park. Three elephants were killed in separate incidents on the same day in May 2006 in train mishaps. Indian Railways and park authorities are presently trying to address the problem. The best way to watch wildlife at the park is to use powerful binoculars, with night vision facilities at night, from the numerous well-located watchtowers at the park. The watchtowers are: Jatraprasad Watch Tower: Named after a legendary elephant Rhino Observation Point: Watch tower in front of the Gorumara forest bungalow Chandrachur Watch Tower (Old Khunia Watch Tower): Near the Murti forest bungalow Chukchuki Bird-watching Point: Good for birding Rhino Point Watch Tower There are no ranger-led or otherwise four-wheel drive vehicle or elephant-back forays into the jungle. Hiking is permitted on metalled roads, but is slightly unsafe considering the population of elephants, gaur and rhinoceros present in the park. The park is closed in the Monsoon season from 16 June to 15 September. The best time to visit Gorumara is from November to March. One can also visit the adjoining forest villages to get acquainted with the lifestyle and culture of the villagers. A live show of the ethnic tribal dance can be seen every evening in Budhuram Forest Village. One can visit the Lataguri Nature Interpretation Centre for an interpretive exhibit of the local natural history.