Alipurduar: After jumbos, now rhinos raid fields & damage crops in Chilapata

MP | 28 Mar 2023 | Alipurduar: For a long time, farmers in North Bengal have been plagued by destruction of crops by elephants. 

Now, the one-horned rhinos have also become a cause of concern for people living in forest villages of West Simlabari in Chilapata, Alipurduar district. In the hope of extra earnings, local farmers plant corn in their fields after harvesting potatoes. However, corns seem to be a favourite of one-horned rhinos. 

The rhinos raid the fields at night for a taste of the corn and in the process trample over the corn fields. Conflicts between rhinoceros and humans are steadily on the rise in these areas. There have been recent incidents where residents of Chilapata living in villages bordering the Jaldapara National Park have risked their lives by trying to chase away the raiding rhinos using flashlights and throwing stones. 

The forest authorities have expressed concern over these incidents. Local farmer Abu Alam said: “Since long, elephants have been raiding our fields for food, coming out of the jungle. They have caused damage to crops and even loss of life in many cases. However, for the last 15 days it is the rhinos. 

Every night, the rhinos enter the corn fields and damage the crops. To save our crops, we are forced to chase the rhinos away, which is dangerous. A major disaster could occur at any time.” 

Another experienced farmer, Taher Ali, said: “After growing potatoes in the field, I planted corn there. I was hoping that elephants would come due to the attraction of the corn. I have grown old fighting with elephants throughout my life, but I have never seen such devastation by a rhino before. 

Many farmers have suffered crop damage from this rhino.” DFO Deepak M of Jaldapara Wildlife Division stated that for the past 15 days, a rhino has been entering agricultural fields in the west of Shimlabari and damaging crops several times. Forest workers have been monitoring the situation, and on Monday, they managed to drive away the rhino towards the north of Jaldapara. 

“Prior to this the villagers had not experienced any incident of rhinos entering human habitat in search of food. Therefore, we are making them aware of what steps they need to take if a rhino enters human habitat in future” added the DFO. 

Courtesy & source- Millennium Post

https://www.millenniumpost.in/bengal/alipurduar-after-jumbos-now-rhinos-raid-fields-damage-crops-in-chilapata-513223