Gupta, A.C., 1958. Gorumara Game Sanctuary. Journal of the Bengal Natural History Society 29 (4): 132-139, 1 map, figs. 1-4
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| Location: |
Asia - South Asia - India |
| Subject: |
Distribution - Records |
| Species: |
Indian Rhino |
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The principal circumstance that led to the Gorumara forest being notified as a sanctuary in November, 1940, was its content of about a dozen heads of the Great One Horned Indian Rhinoceros. An area of 1129 acres was notified in that year. Later on in August, 1949, another area of 1000 acres on the east was added on. For many years the number of these massive pachyderms has remained more or less constant, the reason being that the increase resulting from normal multiplication is offset by casualties amongst cows and calves inflicted by tigers, and amongst both cows and bulls inflicted by cultivators' shots in the neighbouring paddy fields. Other than the Balapara forest on the right bank of Sankos, and the forests bordering the Torsa, the Tondu happens to be the only forest in North Bengal that still his a few rhinos. The sanctuary as it is constituted with about half of its area under thick tree forest, and the other half in the riverain area with tall grass, provides an ideal habitat to the rhinoceros. The sanctuary is small being only a little over 3 square miles in extent, and it cannot be expected to hold large animals on a permanent basis. The rhinos roam throughout the Tondu forest far beyond the boundaries of the sanctuary.
Although this area was constituted a sanctuary nearly 20 years ago, nothing was ever done either here or in the other sanctuary (Chapramari) in the Tondu forest lying to its north, towards carrying out what is currently understood as Wild Life management. All that has been done is to exclude the area from shooting rights, and the provision of a small protective staff of men in lower ranks having no specialized knowledge nor training. The shooting right of the poacher however, remains unimpaired, and a game sanctuary offers him much greater attraction than a forest outside it. The portion of the sanctuary in close proximity of Gorumara, which often has visitors in the rest-houses, is disturbed a great deal by human noise, but strange as it would seem, it is here that animals are mostly seen. They have learnt from years of experience that the human beings occurring at Gorurnara are friendly, and very unlike the inhuman human beings they have known in other parts of the forest. It is remarkable how quickly the wild denizens of the jungle can feel a kindly atmosphere, and how eager they are to grasp a friendly hand. This has been amply exemplified by the results achieved in the National Parks of the U.S.A. and Canada.
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Gorumara Game Sanctuary
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