West Bengal: One-horned rhinos to be shifted to habitats near Gorumara, Patlakhawa

A team from the Centre had visited the places identified by the state Forest department and expressed their satisfaction.

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team from the Centre had visited the places identified by the state Forest department and expressed their satisfaction. (Representational)

THE STATE government has decided to rehabilitate one-horned rhinos in West Bengal by preparing new natural habitats for the endangered species in two parks. One of the habitats is situated close to Gorumara and the other at Patlakhawa in Cooch Behar. A team from the Centre had visited the places identified by the state Forest department and expressed their satisfaction.

Though they are yet to give the final nod in this regard, Forest department officials believe that they would get the permission soon to shift the animals to their new homes. “The main purpose of the move is to ensure that one-horned rhinos are kept in a better environment. This will also help in promoting tourism in north Bengal. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has laid great stress in promoting tourism in north Bengal, besides other places. The two new places where the one-horned rhinos would be shifted would be one of the main attractions for tourists,” said state Forest Minister Binay Barman.

The Buxa Tiger Reserve was also initially identified as a place where the rhinos could be shifted to. West Bengal has the second-highest population of the species in the country after Assam with the number growing to 255 in 2017. A survey conducted by the forest department in January 2015 found that Jaldapara National Park in the state has nearly 200 of these endangered animals and the Gorumara National Park has 50, an increase from 186 at Jaldapara and 46 at Gorumara in 2013 and 2014, respectively.

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The increase in the population, however, comes with its share of problems. An official of the forest department said: “The total number of rhinos has increased to a stage wherein the existing habitat is no longer enough. Rhinos need large grazing spaces to survive, which is why we are shifting 50-one horned rhinos to new spaces.”

Officials added that the state government is also working closely with the Asian Rhino Specialist Group (ARSG) and International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

“ARSG stressed on the need for having a diverse gene pool. The problem with small concentrated populations of large mammals like rhinos is that if the gene pool isn’t varied they are susceptible to diseases, which could wipe out the entire population at one go. A very famous case is that of the cheetahs in Africa, where the gene pool is almost similar to that of inbred mice,” said the official.

As per IUCN, cheetahs have the least genetic diversity among animals on the planet.

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