 Reference Base  Population history of Great Indian rhinoceros in North Be... |
|
Bist, S.S., 1994. Population history of Great Indian rhinoceros in North Bengal and major factors influencing the same. Zoos Print 9 (3-4): 42-51
|
|
|
|
| |
| Location: |
Asia - South Asia - India - West Bengal |
| Subject: |
Distribution |
| Species: |
Asian Rhino Species |
 |
|
2. Rhinos In North Bengal
There is ample evidence to Indicate that at the turn of the nineteenth century, rhinos existed in three distinct and non-overiapping populations in the flood plains of the following major rivers in the present districts of Jalpaigurl and Cooch Behar: I. Sankosh – Rydak; II. Torsa; III. Jaldhaka – Diana.
RhInos In the Sankosh - Rydak region moved freely across the Assam - Bengal border and contained two separate, though over-lapping sub-populations, viz. - the Buxa sub-population in Jalpaigurl district, occupying the forests of Bholka and Rydak reserves In the present Buxa Tiger Reserve, and the Garodhat sub-population in Cooch Behar district, occupying the forests and adjoining grass lands In Atlamochar and Nagurhat.
Similarly, the rhinos of the Torsa region comprised ot two over-lappIng sub-populations, viz. the Jaldapara sub-population in Jalpalguri dlstrict occupying the present Jaldapara sanctuary and Chilapata reserves and moving upto Bhutrl and other adjoining forests in Buxa and Cooch Behar Divisions, and the Patlakhawa sub-population in Cooch Behar district which occupied the Patlakhawa reserve and extended as far as upto Pundibari near Cooch-Behar.
The Jaldhaka-Diana population of rhinos occupied the forests of Upper Tondu, Lower Tondu and Diana in Jalpaiguri Division and moved upto Indo-Bhutan border In the north and Mynaguri on the east. The present Gorumara Sanctuary formed the nucleus of this population, which can, therefore, also be called Gorumara population.
3. Number of rhinos - 100 years ago
Rhinos were reported to be plentiful In North Bengal towards the end of the 19th century (2). According to the estimates of the Fawcus Committee (3), there were about 200 rhinos In the Torsa region and a dozen or so in the other pockets in North Bengal in the 1920s. The hunting records of Maharaja of Cooch Behar (1) indicate that about 201 rhinos were either killed or injured in North Bengal between 1871 and 1905. the figure for the period 1890-1905 being 42. Assuming a zero rate of growth during 1905 -1920 and a negative rate of growth equal to the number of rhinos hunted every year during the poriod 1890- 1905, it can be concluded that at least 240 rhinos existed in North Bengal In 1890s, with a posslble break up as follows: Sankosh - Rydak - 120+ ; Torsa ·100+ ; Jaldhaka-Diana - 20+.
4. Population Trend
4.1 Sankosh-Rydak Population
Garodhat: Garodhat happened to be the exclusive hunting reserve of the Maharaja of Cooch Behar. Between 1877 and 1897, as many as 104 rhinos were killed and 18 rhInos were injured in and around Garodhat reserve - the largest number of rhinos i.e 18 having been killed in 1886. It appears that Garodhat had one of the largest concentration of rhinos in North Bengal. Ironically, It was also the first region in North Bengal where the rhino became extinct. Rhinos have been hunted in the region subsequent years also, but records of the same are not available. By 1930, rhinos were stated to be non-existant In the region (2). It is possible that the Rhinos, which could survive hunting, moved over to the forests of Buxa or Assam and left the area for good.
Buxa. AccordIng to the records of Maharaja of Coach Behar (1), as many as 28 Rhinos were killed and 13 injured In the region between the rivers Rydak and Sankosh during the period from 1877 to 1904. Sighting of more than 14 Rhinos was also recorded. This suggests the presence of sizeable number of rhinos in the regIon towards the end of the last century. No Information about the rhlnos of this reglon is upto 1948.
Rhinos were reportedly present In the wet forests of Panbari of Buxa Division In the thlrties (14.2) but It can not be said with surety that they formed a part of the Rydak-Sankosh population. Table 1 glves an Idea about the status of Rhinos in Rhinos In Buxa, particularly Bholka forests, In the subsequent years :-
Rhino in Buxa
1948-49 couple 14.8
1949-50 couple 14.9
1952-53 fair number 14.12
1953-54 exist 9 + 14.13
1954-55 exist 14.14
1956-57 exist 14.16
1957-58 exist 14.17
1958 exist 8
1958-59 10 14.18
1966-67 exist 14.20
1967-68 exist 14.21
The Rydak-Sankosh population of rhinos appears to have become extinct by 1970 and no rhino has ever been recorded in the forests of Buxa Division except those straying occasionally from Jaldapara Sanctuary
4.2 Torsa population
Jaldapara : In his three hunting expeditions in 1892, 1893 and 1904. in or around the Chilapata forests, Maharaja of Cooch Behar (1) has recorded the killing of 1 (one) rhino, Injury of another rhino and sighting of more than 14 rhinos in the region. The Fawcus committee (3) had estimated that there were about 200 rhinos In 1920s in the Torsa region. Which included Jaldapara and Patlakhawa.
Table - 2 gives an idea about the variation in population of rhinos in Jaldapara region over a period of time.
Table 2: Rhino population in Jaldapara
1920s 200 (incl. Patlakhawa) 3
Before 1930 80 4
1932 40-50 3
1935-36 good number 14.1
1936-37 56 (incl.Panbari) 14.2
1940-41 increased 14.6
1947-48 increasing 14.7
1948 60 4
1948-49 increasing 14.8
1949-50 increasing 14.9
1950-51 increasing 14.10
1951-52 increasing 14.11
1953 30 5
1952-53 increasing 14.12
1953-54 30-56 14.13
1954 50 9
1954-55 promising 14.14
1957 50 7
1958-59 65 14.18
1964 72 13
1965-66 75 14.19
1966-67 76 (incl.Patlakhawa) 14.20
1968-69 75 14.22
1973-74 21 14.26
1975 23 22
1978 19 22
1980 22 22
1986 14 20
1988 24 24
1989 27 24
1992 33 24
Patlakhawa:
Maharajah of Cooch Behar (1) has recorded the killing of 1 (one) rhino, injury of another and sighting of 6 thino in 1895. Hunting of rhinos took place in the region in subsequent years also, but the records are not available. However, there are many Shikaris and other persons still living in Cooch Behar who vouch for the presence of 'dozens' of rhinos in the region in the thirties and the forties. Table 3 has been compiled on the basis of the recorded information.
Table 3. Rhino population in Patlakhawa
1951-52 a few 14.11
1952 25 5
1952-53 increasing 14.12
1954 small number 6
1958-59 10 14.18
1967-68 increasing 14.21
1968-69 increasing 14.22
1969-70 increasing 14.23
Rhinos in Patlakhawa fell to the bullets of the poachers or moved over to Jaldapara In the early seventies and no rhino was reported there in the census operations held since 1973-74. Rhinos from Jaldapara have been known to be visiting Patlakhawa occasionally, but no such visit has been recorded since 1985 (25).
4.3 Gorumara Population:
In the year 1885, Maharaja of Cooch Behar (1) has recorded having killed 5 rhinos, injured 2 and sighted another 5 rhinos in the region along Jaldhaka and Diana. Rhinos were reported
to be common In the forests of Jalpaigurl Division in the past (14.2) but their population has never exceeded 20 since 1920s as the Table 4 would indicate.
Table 4: Rhino population in Gorumara
1920s less than 12 3
1936-37 4-5 14.2
1940 12 8
1950-51 increasing 14.10
1951-52 increasing 14.11
1952-53 frequent 14.12
1952 3 5
1954 small number 6
1954-55 3 14.14
1955-56 5 14.15
1956-57 4 14.16
1958 7 15
1958-59 8 14.18
1965 14 15
1965-66 10 14.19
1967-68 exist 14.21
1968-69 12 14.22
1971-72 13 14.22
1972-73 7 14.25
1973-74 7 14.26
1978 8 22
1986 8 20
1989 12 23
1993 15 23
5. Population structure
Tables 5,6,7
9. Range or Rhinos in North Bengal:
Banerjee (11) has recorded in 1966 that the shrinkage of rhino zone in N. Bengal is pronounced and the area of its distribution has been restricted to even less than one eighth from what it was about 150 years back. Information available about the range of North Bengal rhinos is presented below.
9.1 Sankosh – Rydak population
In his hunting expeditions spread from 1871 to 1905, Maharaja of Cooch Behar (1) has recorded the hunting or sighting of Rhinos from almost all over the region between the Rivers
Sankosh nnd Rydak which included the forests of Rydak and Bholka (170 kms) in Jalpaiguri district, Garodhat Reserve (50 sq.km) in Cooch Behar district, and almost an equal area where no forests or grasslands exist today. The range of these rhinos extended within Assam - though its extent is not known. By 1930, Garodhat appears to have fallen out of favour with Rhinos (2). Rhinos have been recorded in the Panbari forests 33 sq.km. on the West of Rydak in the thirties (14.2). Information relating to the period 1948-68 (8, 9, 14) indlcate that the Rhinos were seen mostly in the Bholka Runge (70 sq.km.) and they moved freely between Assam
and West Bengal across the Sankosh. As stated earlier the Sankosh-Rydak population appears to havo become extinct by 1970.
9 2 Torsa population;
Fawcus committee (3) has recorded in 1943 that the main stronghold of rhinos consisted of a tract of high grass savannah along the Torsa river stretching from the foot hills of Bhutan, through the Duars. in to Cooch Behar – occupying perhaps 50-60 sq miles. But from the hunting records of the Maharajah of Cooch Behar (1) and information given by the Old shikaris in Cooch Behar. it appears that till at least 1930, the rhinos could be seen in Patlakhawa Reserve and its extension upto now non-existant grassland areas of Pundibari. Patlakhawa has been a regular habitat of rhinos til! about 1970 (14-23). Rhinos from Jaldapara have been known to visit Patlakhawa till as late as 1985 (25). Information from the local people indicate that rhinos from Jaldapara were frequent visitors to the forests of Nilpara Range (Bhutri, Godamdabri, Bharnabari, Rangamati) and Madarihat Range (Khaliburi, Till and Dumchi). In the forties, and the fifties. Rhinos were regular visitors to tho forests of Till and Jalgaon - though no such visit has baen recorded since 1984 (25). V. S.Rao (9) has recorded the presence of rhinos in Khairbari, Bhutri, Salkumar, and Basti (Chilapata) and some private Jute forests near Moiradanga in January 1954. Forests of Chilapata (Bania, Barodabri, and Mendabari) have always been a natural for the rhinos from Jaldapara. Rhinos occasionally visited the nearby forests of Nimati range in Buxa but no such visit has been recorded since 1982 (25). It has also been observed that rhinos do not utilise whole of the 216 sq.km. area of the present Jaldapara sanctuary. During the census held in April 1992. the presence of rhinos (actual sighting or dung heaps) was recorded in an aroa of only 80 sq.km. comprising forest compartments of Malangi, Chllapata, Jaldapara, Torsa, Mondabari and Dania (24).
9.3 Gorumara population
Gorumara Sanctuary set up in 1949 occupies less than 9 Sq.Km. but the range of rhinos extends much beyond its boundaries. Maharaja of Coach Bohar' has recorded the hunting or sighting of rhinos in 1884 around Ramshaihat (Lower Tondu), Dhupjhora (Upper Tondu) and Nagrakata (Dlana). Rhinos existed in the flood plains of the rivers Jaldhaka and Diana and occupied the forests of Lower Tondu, Upper Tondu and Diana ranges and perhaps also the grasslands existing outside the reserved forests. Despite their small numbers, range of Gorumara rhinos has been large. Rhinos were reported in Hillajhora forests in 1940-50 and
1950-51 (14.9, 14.10). They were roported to be travelling up to Mynaguri, Chapramari, North Diana and South Diana till the late sixties (15). However, movement of rhinos to Chapramari and Diana ranges (except Jaldhaka block) have become rare since 1980. Rhinos of Gorumara are known to wander far off. In March 1989, one female rhino wandered into Bangladesh and had to be physically brought back (24). Another fema!e rhino strayed into the forests of Apalchand range and moved as far west across the river Tapeta as Gulma in Mahananda sanctuary. It never returned to Gorumara until its death in Apalchand forest in August 1992 (24). In the recent years, rhinos have known to be mostly confined over an area of about 80
sq.km. comprising forest blocks of Modla, Contral, Sursuti, Gorumara, South Indong. Dhupjhora, Tondu and Jaldhaka.
Hunting
Legal hunting of rhinos was permissible in Bengal till the passing of the Bengal Rhinoceros Preservation Act. in 1932. Maharaja of Cooch Behar, however, had exclusive rights to hunt rhinos within his jurisdiction. Hunting has been the major factor for decline in rhino population in North Bengal till the twenties before the poachers took over. Heavy hunting can be cited as the sole reason for the extinction of rhinos from Garodhat Reserve in Cooch Behar.
Table 19 shows hunting figures of Maharajah of Cooch Behar in Sankosh-Rydak region (following his book).
Poaching heavy in Jaldapara, i.e 40-50 in 1932 (3), ca. 50 in 1930-1931 (4), 28 in 1968-1972 (22).
The year 1900 witnessed the extinction of the lesser one-homed rhino (Rhinoceros sondaicus) from North Bengal.
3. Fawcus L.R. (1943) Report of !he game and game fish preservation committee on the existing species of game In Bengal, Govt of Bengal, Calcutta. pp 15-19.
|
|
|
File available
details
Original text on this topic: