Gorumara national park

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.[1]

Gorumara National Park

গোরুমারা জাতীয় উদ্যান

IUCN category II (national park)

Gorumara Gateway Arnab Dutta.JPG

Entrance to Gorumara National Park

Map showing the location of Gorumara National Park গোরুমারা জাতীয় উদ্যান Map showing the location of Gorumara National Park গোরুমারা জাতীয় উদ্যান

Location in West Bengal, India

Location Jalpaiguri district, West Bengal, India

Nearest city Malbazar, Mainaguri, Jalpaiguri

Coordinates 26.7°N 88.8°E

Established 1949 (WLS), 1994 (NP)

Governing body Government of India, Government of West Bengal

Human history Edit

There is no history of human habitation in the park. The park forest bungalow dates back to the British Raj era, and contains a well-maintained log book from its inception, which makes for interesting reading. However Gorumara is encircled by many ethnic villages. More than 10,000 resident forest villagers derive their income from sources including employment in forest department activities, ecotourism, etc. Some of the villages are Sarswati, Budhuram, Bichabhanga, Chatua, Kailipur and Murti Forest Village.

Natural history Edit

A road inside the park

Biomes Edit

The park falls in the Indomalaya ecozone. Inside the park, the primary biomes corresponding to the ecozone are:

Terai-Duar savanna and grasslands of the tropical and subtropical grasslands, savannas, and shrublands biome

Lower Gangetic plains moist deciduous forests of the tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests biome

Both of these are typical of the Bhutan - Nepal - India Terai submontane region.

Flora Edit

Typical flora include:

Sal forests with common teak, rain tree (Shirish or Albizia saman lebbeck), and Bombax (also known as silk cotton tree or Shimul)

Bamboo groves, terai grassland vegetation and tropical riverine reeds

Gorumara is home to numerous tropical orchids.

Gorumara National Park Panorama

Fauna Edit

The park has recorded fifty species of mammals, 194 species of birds, 22 species of reptiles, 7 species of turtles, 27 species of fish, and other macro and micro fauna.

Mammals: 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. There is a comparative lack of large carnivores, with the only big cat being the leopard. The park is not home to any resident population of Bengal tigers, Indian wild dogs, or Indian wolves. Tigers are, however, occasionally spotted here. It does have numerous small carnivores including various civets, mongooses and small cats. The park has a large resident population of wild boar, but the critically endangered pygmy hog has been reported from the park. It also has numerous rodents, including giant squirrels. The rare hispid hare has also been reported from the park.

Birds: Birds at the Gorumara National Park include submontane forest birds like the scarlet minivet, sunbird, Asian paradise flycatchers, spangled drongo, and Indian hornbill. Numerous woodpeckers and pheasants inhabit the park. Peafowls are very common. The park is on the flyway of migratory birds including the rare brahminy duck.

Reptiles and amphibians: 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 - the world's largest venomous snake.