Roaming space for rhinos to be increased at Jaldapara National Park

Kolkata, Aug 22 (IANS) The West Bengal forest department has outlined an ambitious strategy for increasing the roaming space for wild animals, especially rhinos, at the Jaldapara National Park in Alipurduar district.

Forest department sources said that plans have been finalised to create fresh grasslands on 300 hectares of land scattered over an inverted U-shaped area in the western, northern and eastern ranges of the national park.

“There has been an increase in the number of rhinos housed at Jaldapara National Park, and hence the decision of extending the grassland area has been taken to provide more roaming space to them as well as other animal species,” a forest department official said.

As per the latest census, currently there are 292 rhinos within the periphery of the Jaldapara National Park.

"We are expecting the extended grassland area to be ready by January next year,” the official said.

In 1941, the Jaldapara National Park was initially declared as a game sanctuary for the protection of the rhinos. Scattered over an area of over 216 sq km, it was re-notified as Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary in 1972, before it was named Jaldapara National Park in 2012 under Section 35 of the Wildlife Protection Act.

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