Biodiversity bonanza found at Neora Valley

Soumitra Nandi | MP | 29 October 2019 |Kolkata: The second major biodiversity assessment at Neora Valley National Park in Kalimpong conducted by the state Forest department has revealed rich biodiversity both in terms of flora and fauna.

Apart from seven varieties of animals belonging to the cat family, some new types of insects like ants, flies,

spiders etc. which are deemed to be new findings in science, a species of china rose that has fragrance and many similar findings have given the state Forest department enough reasons to cheer.

"It was way back in 1985 when the Indian Army had done a biodiversity assessment of Neora Valley. This is after 35 years that such an extensive study of biodiversity at the park has been held. We are trying to release a report on our findings in the first week of December," said Ravi Kant Sinha, state chief wildlife warden.

The camera traps that were laid inside the National Park in 2015 have found seven types of animals belonging to the cat family like royal Bengal tiger, leopard, clouded leopard, leopard cat, jungle cat, golden cat and marble cat.

"It is very rare that seven types of cats get found at a single place," a senior official of the state Forest department said, adding that it is only at Namdapha National Park in Arunachal Pradesh where such a variety of bio diversity is found.

It was March 2018 when the Forest department had conducted a rapid assessment of biodiversity at Neora Valley and had released a detailed report on the findings.

A team of 15 experts including field officials of the Forest department and scientists from Botanical Survey of India conducted the assessment this month. The team had even scaled an altitude of over 10,800 feet for the survey.

"We think that some species of frogs, ants, flies and spiders that we have found may be new discoveries. The actual identification is presently going on at our laboratory, following which we will be able to be 100 percent sanguine of the findings," the senior official added.

Neora Valley, known as a virgin forest, is spread over 159.89 sq km on the ridges of the lesser Himalayas at the tri-junction of Bengal, Sikkim and Bhutan. It is special because it has four kinds of natural vegetation, namely tropical, sub-tropical, temperate and sub-temperate, from the lower to the upper reaches of the park.

Apart from the reclusive red panda and the clouded leopard, some patches of these pristine forests also hide the musk deer. The park is a birdwatcher's paradise as well.