One-Horned Rhino Count Rises In North Bengal, Jaldapara Now Home To More Than 300 Rhinos

Jalpaiguri: The biennial rhinoceros census conducted across Jaldapara and Gorumara Reserve Forests of north Bengal has indicated that there has been a significant rise in the number of one-horned rhinos in the forests. Forest officials said, initial reports of the census, which was conducted earlier this month, indicate that there has been an addition of as many as 45 animals in the two reserve forests.

Spread across 79.99 sqkm area, the Gorumara National Park has registered an increase of six one-horned rhinos in 2025 and with this rise, the total number of rhinos in Gorumara has gone up to 61, forest officials said. The current census data indicates that though the rise of rhino numbers in Gorumara is slow, yet this rise of six animals in the past two years, has been the highest in recent times, they said. Figures with the forest department say, in 2013 the number of one-horned rhinoceros in Gorumara was 43. In 2015, the number climbed to 49 and in 2019, the figure stood at 52. In 2022, when the last census was conducted, the figure was 55.

In the case of Jaldapara National Park, the rise of one-horned rhinos has been significant this time, with a rise of 39 animals registered during the census. Situated beside the Hollong River, Jaldapara forest is spread over an area of 216.51 sqkm and is home to a wide range of animals. Following this year's census, the total number of one-horned rhinos in Jaldapara National Park has now gone upto 331, forest officials said. In 2013, there were 186 rhinos in Jaldapara and in 2015, the figure climbed to 204. Records show that in the 2019 census, there were 237 one-horned rhinos in the national park, while in 2022, this figure stood at 292. With the recent rise in the one-horned rhino population, forest officials are optimistic about a steady increase of rhino population in the coming days.

Officials at the Chief Conservator of Forests, Wildlife (North) said, apart from counting the animals in the two national parks, data was collected about the present health as well as habitat condition, and availability of food for the one-horned rhinos in the parks. 85 trained Kunki elephants, 631 forest officials and volunteers from 15 NGOs took part in the entire census process across Jaldapara and Gorumara.

"We expected the numbers to go up, but never thought that it would reach six in one go as the numbers in the past few census showed that it was increasing very slowly. It is good that there has been a spike in the number in the park," said Dwijo Pratim Sen, chief forest officer in the Gorumara Wildlife Division.

Divisional Forest Officer of Jaldapara National Park, Praveen Kasowan said, "We were expecting that the number of one-horned rhinos will increase in Jaldapara, but the census outcome is very encouraging. Through this census, we have also done a complete overview of the safety and security angle of the Park and wherever there are loopholes, adequate steps will be taken to mend them at the earliest," said the DFO.