Crowd control: Two new homes for Bengal rhinos

TNN | Oct 4, 2016, KOLKATA: The rhinos of Bengal will soon get two new homes in the northern part of the state. Owing to "excess" population of the one-horned rhino in two national parks of north Bengal -Jaldapara and Gorumara -the state is planning to relocate a few animals to two new locations.

Talking to the media on Monday, forest minister Binoy Burman said they have identified two areas in Buxa Tiger Reserve and Cooch Behar's Patlakhawa, which can be developed as rhino reserves. "Buxa is spread over 750 qkm, parts of which can be developed as good rhino habitat. This apart, we have identified a 25sqkm forest patch in Patlakhawa that can also be developed as a rhino reserve," Burman said.

According to him, a team of central officials has already inspected both sites and the state is waiting for a clearance from them before finalizing the plan.

"We have more than 255 rhinos in Jaldapara and Gorumara. The number is more than the carrying capacity of both parks. Hence, we are planning to relocate a few rhinos," he added. While Jaldapara is ho me to about 200 of these rhinos, Gorumara has more than 50 of them. One of the two rhinos that had strayed out of Gorumara six years ago was tranquillised near Mahananda last December and later shifted to the North Bengal Wild Animals' Park. In September 2013, a rhino and its calf had strayed out of Gorumara National Park into a village.