Rhino census in Gorumara begins

After a gap of two years rhino census began in Gorumara National Park in West Bengal as well as in Chapramari wildlife sanctuary and its adjoining areas, a forest official said today.
The census to be conducted in direct count method, will be completed within 2/3 days, Ujjwal Bhattacharya, principal chief conservator of forest (PCCF), WB (wildlife) said.
In all 43 rhinos were spotted in the last census conducted two years back in Gorumara, Chapramari and its adjoining areas including Baikunthapur. Of the 43 rhinos 20 were male, 14 female, 8 calves while sex of one rhino remained unidentified, he said.

Forest department personnel divided in groups were conducting the census for which 15 kunki (tamed) elephants were being used, Bhattacharya said.
On straying of rhinos in the adjoining villages, he said there were occasional instances due to infighting but there was no report of straying due to lack of habitat.
He said elephant census in north Bengal was also to be conducted now but might be postponed as fewer forest staff were likely to be requisitioned for the coming Lok Sabha polls.
The elephant population in the state is about 700 and there were man-animal conflict in both north and south Bengal districts, N C Bahuguna, PCCF and head of forest force, said.

Fragmented habitat, habitat encroachment, obstruction on elephant migration route were responsible for the man-animal conflict, he said.