Gorumara National Park
Encyclopedia
Gorumara National Park is a National Park
in northern West Bengal
, India
. Located in the Terai
region of the Himalayan foothills, it is a medium-sized park with grassland
s and forest
s. It is primarily known for its population of Indian Rhinoceros
. The park has been declared as the best among the protected areas in India by the Ministry of Environment and Forests for the year 2009.
in 1949, on account of its breeding population of Indian Rhinoceros
. It was declared an Indian National Park
on January 31, 1994. Originally as small as 7 km², Gorumara has grown by incorporating neighbouring lands to about 80 km².
of Jalpaiguri district
, in the state of West Bengal
in India
.
Physical geography: Gorumara is located in the Eastern Himalayas' submontane Terai
belt. This region has rolling forests and riverine grasslands, and is known as the Dooars in West Bengal
. The park is located on the flood plains of the Murti River and Raidak River
. The major river of the park is the Jaldhaka river, a tributary of the Brahmaputra river system. In this regard, Gorumara is a significant watershed
area between the Ganges and Brahmaputra river systems. The park is very close to the Jaldapara Wildlife Reserve and Chapramari Wildlife Reserve.
The park is 79.99 km² in area.
Climate: The temperature ranges from 10 to 21 degrees C from November to February, 24 to 27 degrees C from March to April and 27 to 37 degrees C from May to October. Rainfall mostly occurs between mid-May to mid-October and average annual rainfall is 382 cm.
era, and contains a well-maintained log book from its inception, which makes for interesting reading. However Gorumara is encircled by many ethnic villages. More than 10,000 resident forest villagers derive their income from sources including employment in forest department activities, ecotourism, etc. Some of the villages are Sarswati, Budhuram, Bichabhanga, Chatua, Kailipur and Murti Forest Village.
are:
Both of these are typical of the Bhutan
- Nepal
- India
Terai
submontane region.
Gorumara is home to numerous tropical orchids.
s, 193 species of bird
s, 22 species of reptile
s, 7 species of turtle
s, 27 species of fishes and other macro and micro fauna.
Mammals: The Park is rich in large herbivores including Indian Rhinoceros
, Gaur
, Asian Elephant
, Sloth bear
, Chital
, and Sambar Deer
. Small herbivores include Barking deer, Hog deer
and Wild boar. There is a comparative lack of large carnivores, with the only big cat being the Leopard
. The park is not home to any resident population of Bengal Tiger
s, Indian Wild Dogs or Indian Wolf
. Tigers are, however, occasionally spotted here. It does have numerous small carnivores including various civets, mongooses and small cats. The park has a large resident population of Wild boar, but the critically endangered Pygmy Hog
has been reported from the park. It also has numerous rodents, including Giant Squirrels. The rare Hispid Hare
has also been reported from the park.
Birds: Gorumara National Park is famous for its bird population - which includes brilliant submontane forest birds like the Scarlet Minivet
, Sunbird
, Asian Paradise Flycatcher
, Spangled Drongo
and Great Indian Hornbill. Numerous woodpecker
s and pheasant
s inhabit the park. Peafowl
s are very common. The park is on the flyway
of numerous migratory birds, including the rare Brahminy Duck.
Reptiles and amphibians: The park is home to a large number of snakes, venomous and non-venomous, including the Indian Python
, one of the largest snakes in the world, and the King Cobra
- the world's largest venomous snake
.
es. However, the lack of large predators has caused significantly worrying skews in the populations of large herbivores in the park. The rhinoceros male:female ratio, usually 1:3, shot up to 1:1 - resulting in male dominance fights and deaths. The Gaur
population also doubled in recent years, with risk of overgrazing
.
Poaching
was a major issue in the park in the 1970s and 1980s, but now Gorumara is one of the parks least threatened by poaching, with well-equipped rangers and with villagers benefiting from park visitors. However, grazing from fringe villages, and man-made brush fires are major issues at the park.
A recent issue at the park is the increasing number of train accidents involving elephants on railway lines near the park. Three elephants were killed in separate incidents on the same day in May 2006 in train mishaps. Indian Railways
and park authorities are presently trying to address the problem. http://www.telegraphindia.com/1061105/asp/bengal/story_6961715.asp
facilities at night, from the numerous well-located watchtowers at the park. The watchtowers are:
There are no ranger-led or otherwise four-wheel drive vehicle or elephant-back
forays into the jungle. Hiking is permitted on metalled roads, but is slightly unsafe considering the population of elephants, gaur and rhinoceros present in the park. The park is closed in the Monsoon
season from 16 June to 15 September. The best time to visit Gorumara is from November to March.
One can also visit the adjoining forest villages to get acquainted with the lifestyle and culture of the villagers. A live show of the ethnic tribal dance can be seen every evening in Budhuram Forest Village.
One can visit the Lataguri Nature Interpretation Centre for an interpretive exhibit of the local natural history.
Accommodations are also available in River Wood Forest Retreats, a 4 star resort overlooking the Gorumara national park and Murti River www.riverwoodretreat.com and at Gorumara Elephant Camp at Dhupjhora. One can stay in newly constructed cottages in the Kalipur village at the fringe of Gorumara built by the State Forest Department.
National park
A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or owns. Although individual nations designate their own national parks differently A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or...
in northern West Bengal
West Bengal
West Bengal is a state in the eastern region of India and is the nation's fourth-most populous. It is also the seventh-most populous sub-national entity in the world, with over 91 million inhabitants. A major agricultural producer, West Bengal is the sixth-largest contributor to India's GDP...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. Located in the Terai
Terai
The Terai is a belt of marshy grasslands, savannas, and forests located south of the outer foothills of the Himalaya, the Siwalik Hills, and north of the Indo-Gangetic Plain of the Ganges, Brahmaputra and their tributaries. The Terai belongs to the Terai-Duar savanna and grasslands ecoregion...
region of the Himalayan foothills, it is a medium-sized park with grassland
Grassland
Grasslands are areas where the vegetation is dominated by grasses and other herbaceous plants . However, sedge and rush families can also be found. Grasslands occur naturally on all continents except Antarctica...
s and forest
Forest
A forest, also referred to as a wood or the woods, is an area with a high density of trees. As with cities, depending where you are in the world, what is considered a forest may vary significantly in size and have various classification according to how and what of the forest is composed...
s. It is primarily known for its population of Indian Rhinoceros
Indian Rhinoceros
The Indian Rhinoceros is also called Greater One-horned Rhinoceros and Asian One-horned Rhinoceros and belongs to the Rhinocerotidae family...
. The park has been declared as the best among the protected areas in India by the Ministry of Environment and Forests for the year 2009.
History
Gorumara was a reserve forest since 1895. The park was declared a Wildlife SanctuaryWildlife sanctuaries of India
India has over 441 animal sanctuaries, referred to as Wildlife Sanctuaries . Among these, the 28 Tiger Reserves are governed by Project Tiger, and are of special significance in the conservation of the tiger. Some wildlife sanctuaries are specifically named Bird Sanctuary, eg. Keoladeo National...
in 1949, on account of its breeding population of Indian Rhinoceros
Indian Rhinoceros
The Indian Rhinoceros is also called Greater One-horned Rhinoceros and Asian One-horned Rhinoceros and belongs to the Rhinocerotidae family...
. It was declared an Indian National Park
National parks of India
This is a list of all national parks of India. India's first national park was established in 1936 as Hailey National Park, now known as Jim Corbett National Park. By 1970, India only had five national parks...
on January 31, 1994. Originally as small as 7 km², Gorumara has grown by incorporating neighbouring lands to about 80 km².
Geography
Political Geography: The park is located in the Malbazar subdivisionMalbazar subdivision
Malbazar subdivision , also known as Mal subdivision, is a subdivision of the Jalpaiguri district in the state of West Bengal, India. It consists of Malbazar municipality and three community development blocks: Mal, Metiali and Nagrakata. The three blocks contain 22 gram panchayats. The subdivision...
of Jalpaiguri district
Jalpaiguri District
Jalpaiguri district is the largest district of North Bengal, covering an area 6,245 km2. It is situated between 26° 16' and 27° 0' North latitudes and 88° 4' and 89° 53' East longitudes...
, in the state of West Bengal
West Bengal
West Bengal is a state in the eastern region of India and is the nation's fourth-most populous. It is also the seventh-most populous sub-national entity in the world, with over 91 million inhabitants. A major agricultural producer, West Bengal is the sixth-largest contributor to India's GDP...
in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
.
Physical geography: Gorumara is located in the Eastern Himalayas' submontane Terai
Terai
The Terai is a belt of marshy grasslands, savannas, and forests located south of the outer foothills of the Himalaya, the Siwalik Hills, and north of the Indo-Gangetic Plain of the Ganges, Brahmaputra and their tributaries. The Terai belongs to the Terai-Duar savanna and grasslands ecoregion...
belt. This region has rolling forests and riverine grasslands, and is known as the Dooars in West Bengal
West Bengal
West Bengal is a state in the eastern region of India and is the nation's fourth-most populous. It is also the seventh-most populous sub-national entity in the world, with over 91 million inhabitants. A major agricultural producer, West Bengal is the sixth-largest contributor to India's GDP...
. The park is located on the flood plains of the Murti River and Raidak River
Raidak River
The Raidak River is a tributary of the Brahmaputra River, and a trans-boundary river, flows through Bhutan, India and Bangladesh.-Bhutan:...
. The major river of the park is the Jaldhaka river, a tributary of the Brahmaputra river system. In this regard, Gorumara is a significant watershed
Water divide
A drainage divide, water divide, divide or watershed is the line separating neighbouring drainage basins...
area between the Ganges and Brahmaputra river systems. The park is very close to the Jaldapara Wildlife Reserve and Chapramari Wildlife Reserve.
The park is 79.99 km² in area.
Climate: The temperature ranges from 10 to 21 degrees C from November to February, 24 to 27 degrees C from March to April and 27 to 37 degrees C from May to October. Rainfall mostly occurs between mid-May to mid-October and average annual rainfall is 382 cm.
Human history
There is no history of human habitation in the park. The park forest bungalow dates back to the British RajBritish Raj
British Raj was the British rule in the Indian subcontinent between 1858 and 1947; The term can also refer to the period of dominion...
era, and contains a well-maintained log book from its inception, which makes for interesting reading. However Gorumara is encircled by many ethnic villages. More than 10,000 resident forest villagers derive their income from sources including employment in forest department activities, ecotourism, etc. Some of the villages are Sarswati, Budhuram, Bichabhanga, Chatua, Kailipur and Murti Forest Village.
Biomes
The park falls in the Indomalaya ecozone. Inside the park, the primary biomes corresponding to the ecozoneEcozone
An ecozone is the broadest biogeographic division of the Earth's land surface, based on distributional patterns of terrestrial organisms.Ecozones delineate large areas of the Earth's surface within which organisms have been evolving in relative isolation over long periods of time, separated from...
are:
- Terai-Duar savanna and grasslandsTerai-Duar savanna and grasslandsThe Terai-Duar savanna and grasslands is a narrow lowland ecoregion at the base of the Himalayas, about wide and a continuation of the Gangetic Plain colloquially called Terai in the Ganges Basin east to Nepal, then Dooars in West Bengal, Bangladesh, Bhutan and Assam east to the Brahmaputra River...
of the Tropical and subtropical grasslands, savannas, and shrublandsTropical and subtropical grasslands, savannas, and shrublandsTropical and subtropical grasslands, savannas, and shrublands are a grassland terrestrial biome located in semi-arid to semi-humid climate regions of subtropical and tropical latitudes. Grasslands are dominated by grass and other herbaceous plants. Savannas are grasslands with scattered trees...
biome - Lower Gangetic Plains moist deciduous forestsLower Gangetic plains moist deciduous forestsThe Lower Gangetic plains moist deciduous forests is a tropical moist broadleaf forest ecoregion of Bangladesh and eastern India. The ecoregion covers an area of , covering most of Bangladesh and the Indian states of West Bengal, Bihar, and Tripura, and extending into adjacent portions of Assam,...
of the Tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forestsTropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forestsTropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests , also known as tropical moist forests, are a tropical and subtropical forest biome....
biome
Both of these are typical of the Bhutan
Bhutan
Bhutan , officially the Kingdom of Bhutan, is a landlocked state in South Asia, located at the eastern end of the Himalayas and bordered to the south, east and west by the Republic of India and to the north by the People's Republic of China...
- Nepal
Nepal
Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
- India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
Terai
Terai
The Terai is a belt of marshy grasslands, savannas, and forests located south of the outer foothills of the Himalaya, the Siwalik Hills, and north of the Indo-Gangetic Plain of the Ganges, Brahmaputra and their tributaries. The Terai belongs to the Terai-Duar savanna and grasslands ecoregion...
submontane region.
Flora
Typical flora include:- Sal forests with Common TeakTeakTeak is the common name for the tropical hardwood tree species Tectona grandis and its wood products. Tectona grandis is native to south and southeast Asia, mainly India, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Burma, but is naturalized and cultivated in many countries, including those in Africa and the...
, Rain Tree (Shirish or AlbiziaAlbiziaAlbizia is a genus of about 150 species of mostly fast-growing subtropical and tropical trees and shrubs in the subfamily Mimosoideae of the legume family, Fabaceae. The genus is pantropical, occurring in Asia, Africa, Madagascar, Central, South, and southern North America and Australia, but mostly...
lebbeck), and Silk Cotton (Shimul or BombaxBombaxBombax is a genus of mainly tropical trees in the mallow family. They are native to western Africa, the Indian subcontinent, Southeast Asia, as well as sub-tropical regions of East Asia and northern Australia. Common names for the genus include Silk Cotton Tree, Simal, Red Cotton Tree, Kapok and...
malabaricum) trees - BambooBambooBamboo is a group of perennial evergreens in the true grass family Poaceae, subfamily Bambusoideae, tribe Bambuseae. Giant bamboos are the largest members of the grass family....
groves, Terai grassland vegetation and tropical riverine reeds
Gorumara is home to numerous tropical orchids.
Fauna
The park has recorded fifty species of mammalMammal
Mammals are members of a class of air-breathing vertebrate animals characterised by the possession of endothermy, hair, three middle ear bones, and mammary glands functional in mothers with young...
s, 193 species of bird
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
s, 22 species of reptile
Reptile
Reptiles are members of a class of air-breathing, ectothermic vertebrates which are characterized by laying shelled eggs , and having skin covered in scales and/or scutes. They are tetrapods, either having four limbs or being descended from four-limbed ancestors...
s, 7 species of turtle
Turtle
Turtles are reptiles of the order Testudines , characterised by a special bony or cartilaginous shell developed from their ribs that acts as a shield...
s, 27 species of fishes and other macro and micro fauna.
Mammals: The Park is rich in large herbivores including Indian Rhinoceros
Indian Rhinoceros
The Indian Rhinoceros is also called Greater One-horned Rhinoceros and Asian One-horned Rhinoceros and belongs to the Rhinocerotidae family...
, Gaur
Gaur
The gaur , also called Indian bison, is a large bovine native to South Asia and Southeast Asia. The species is listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List since 1986 as the population decline in parts of the species' range is likely to be well over 70% over the last three generations...
, Asian Elephant
Asian Elephant
The Asian or Asiatic elephant is the only living species of the genus Elephas and distributed in Southeast Asia from India in the west to Borneo in the east. Three subspecies are recognized — Elephas maximus maximus from Sri Lanka, the Indian elephant or E. m. indicus from mainland Asia, and E. m....
, Sloth bear
Sloth Bear
The sloth bear , also known as the labiated bear, is a nocturnal insectivorous species of bear found wild within the Indian subcontinent. The sloth bear evolved from ancestral brown bears during the Pleistocene and shares features found in insect-eating mammals through convergent evolution...
, Chital
Chital
The chital or cheetal , also known as chital deer, spotted deer or axis deer is a deer which commonly inhabits wooded regions of Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, and in small numbers in Pakistan...
, and Sambar Deer
Sambar Deer
The Sambar ' is a large deer native to southern and southeast Asia. Although it primarily refers to R. unicolor, the name "Sambar" is also sometimes used to refer to the Philippine Deer and the Rusa Deer...
. Small herbivores include Barking deer, Hog deer
Hog Deer
The Hog Deer is a small deer whose habitat ranges from Pakistan, through northern India, to mainland southeast Asia...
and Wild boar. There is a comparative lack of large carnivores, with the only big cat being the Leopard
Leopard
The leopard , Panthera pardus, is a member of the Felidae family and the smallest of the four "big cats" in the genus Panthera, the other three being the tiger, lion, and jaguar. The leopard was once distributed across eastern and southern Asia and Africa, from Siberia to South Africa, but its...
. The park is not home to any resident population of Bengal Tiger
Bengal Tiger
The Bengal tiger is a tiger subspecies native to the Indian subcontinent that in 2010 has been classified as endangered by IUCN...
s, Indian Wild Dogs or Indian Wolf
Indian Wolf
Indian wolf and Iranian Wolf are two common names for Canis lupus pallipes, a subspecies of grey wolf which inhabits western India, Pakistan, Iran, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and southern Israel. Some experts have suggested at least some C. lupus pallipes populations be re-classified a canid species...
. Tigers are, however, occasionally spotted here. It does have numerous small carnivores including various civets, mongooses and small cats. The park has a large resident population of Wild boar, but the critically endangered Pygmy Hog
Pygmy Hog
Pygmy hog is an endangered species of small wild pig, previously spread across India, Nepal, and Bhutan but now only found in Assam. The current world population is about 150 individuals or fewer...
has been reported from the park. It also has numerous rodents, including Giant Squirrels. The rare Hispid Hare
Hispid Hare
The Hispid hare Caprolagus hispidus, also called Assam rabbit is a leporid native to South Asia, whose historic range extended along the southern foothills of the Himalayas. Today, the habitat of hispid hares is highly fragmented with an area of occupancy of less than extending over an estimated...
has also been reported from the park.
Birds: Gorumara National Park is famous for its bird population - which includes brilliant submontane forest birds like the Scarlet Minivet
Scarlet Minivet
The Scarlet Minivet, Pericrocotus flammeus is a small passerine bird. This minivet is found in tropical southern Asia from the Indian subcontinent east to southern China, Indonesia, and the Philippines. They are common resident breeding birds in forests and other well-wooded habitats including...
, Sunbird
Sunbird
The sunbirds and spiderhunters are a family, Nectariniidae, of very small passerine birds. There are 132 species in 15 genera. The family is distributed throughout Africa, southern Asia and just reaches northern Australia. Most sunbirds feed largely on nectar, but also take insects and spiders,...
, Asian Paradise Flycatcher
Asian Paradise Flycatcher
The Asian Paradise-flycatcher is a medium-sized passerine bird native to Asia. Males have elongated central tail feathers, and in some populations a black and rufous plumage while others have white plumage. Females are short-tailed with rufous wings and a black head...
, Spangled Drongo
Spangled Drongo
The Spangled Drongo is a bird of the family Dicruridae.The Spangled Drongo is the only Drongo to be found in Australia...
and Great Indian Hornbill. Numerous woodpecker
Woodpecker
Woodpeckers are near passerine birds of the order Piciformes. They are one subfamily in the family Picidae, which also includes the piculets and wrynecks. They are found worldwide and include about 180 species....
s and pheasant
Pheasant
Pheasants refer to some members of the Phasianinae subfamily of Phasianidae in the order Galliformes.Pheasants are characterised by strong sexual dimorphism, males being highly ornate with bright colours and adornments such as wattles and long tails. Males are usually larger than females and have...
s inhabit the park. Peafowl
Peafowl
Peafowl are two Asiatic species of flying birds in the genus Pavo of the pheasant family, Phasianidae, best known for the male's extravagant eye-spotted tail, which it displays as part of courtship. The male is called a peacock, the female a peahen, and the offspring peachicks. The adult female...
s are very common. The park is on the flyway
Flyway
A flyway is a flight path used in bird migration. Flyways generally span over continents and often oceans.-Flyways of the Americas:*Atlantic Flyway*Central Flyway*Mississippi Flyway*Pacific Flyway*Allegheny Front...
of numerous migratory birds, including the rare Brahminy Duck.
Reptiles and amphibians: The park is home to a large number of snakes, venomous and non-venomous, including the Indian Python
Indian Python
Python molurus is a large nonvenomous python species found in many tropic and subtropic areas of Southern and Southeast Asia. It is known by the common names Indian python, black-tailed python, and Indian rock python. Two subspecies are currently recognized: the nominate subspecies and the Burmese...
, one of the largest snakes in the world, and the King Cobra
King Cobra
The king cobra is the world's longest venomous snake, with a length up to 5.6 m . This species, which preys chiefly on other snakes, is found predominantly in forests from India through Southeast Asia to the Philippines and Indonesia...
- the world's largest venomous snake
Venomous snake
"Poisonous snake" redirects here. For true poisonous snakes, see Rhabdophis.Venomous snakes are snakes which have venom glands and specialized teeth for the injection of venom...
.
Conservation issues
The major conservation focus of the park is to maintain a viable breeding community of Indian RhinocerosIndian Rhinoceros
The Indian Rhinoceros is also called Greater One-horned Rhinoceros and Asian One-horned Rhinoceros and belongs to the Rhinocerotidae family...
es. However, the lack of large predators has caused significantly worrying skews in the populations of large herbivores in the park. The rhinoceros male:female ratio, usually 1:3, shot up to 1:1 - resulting in male dominance fights and deaths. The Gaur
Gaur
The gaur , also called Indian bison, is a large bovine native to South Asia and Southeast Asia. The species is listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List since 1986 as the population decline in parts of the species' range is likely to be well over 70% over the last three generations...
population also doubled in recent years, with risk of overgrazing
Overgrazing
Overgrazing occurs when plants are exposed to intensive grazing for extended periods of time, or without sufficient recovery periods. It can be caused by either livestock in poorly managed agricultural applications, or by overpopulations of native or non-native wild animals.Overgrazing reduces the...
.
Poaching
Poaching
Poaching is the illegal taking of wild plants or animals contrary to local and international conservation and wildlife management laws. Violations of hunting laws and regulations are normally punishable by law and, collectively, such violations are known as poaching.It may be illegal and in...
was a major issue in the park in the 1970s and 1980s, but now Gorumara is one of the parks least threatened by poaching, with well-equipped rangers and with villagers benefiting from park visitors. However, grazing from fringe villages, and man-made brush fires are major issues at the park.
A recent issue at the park is the increasing number of train accidents involving elephants on railway lines near the park. Three elephants were killed in separate incidents on the same day in May 2006 in train mishaps. Indian Railways
Indian Railways
Indian Railways , abbreviated as IR , is a departmental undertaking of Government of India, which owns and operates most of India's rail transport. It is overseen by the Ministry of Railways of the Government of India....
and park authorities are presently trying to address the problem. http://www.telegraphindia.com/1061105/asp/bengal/story_6961715.asp
Activities
The best way to watch wildlife at the park is to use powerful binoculars, with night visionNight vision
Night vision is the ability to see in low light conditions. Whether by biological or technological means, night vision is made possible by a combination of two approaches: sufficient spectral range, and sufficient intensity range...
facilities at night, from the numerous well-located watchtowers at the park. The watchtowers are:
- Jatraprasad Watch Tower: Named after a legendary elephant
- Rhino Observation Point: Watch tower in front of the Gorumara forest bungalow
- Chandrachur Watch Tower (Old Khunia Watch Tower): Near the Murti forest bungalow
- Chukchuki Bird-watching Point: Good for birding
There are no ranger-led or otherwise four-wheel drive vehicle or elephant-back
Mahout
A mahout is a person who drives an elephant. The word mahout comes from the Hindi words mahaut and mahavat. Usually, a mahout starts as a boy in the 'family business' when he is assigned an elephant early in its life and they would be attached to each other throughout the elephant's life.The most...
forays into the jungle. Hiking is permitted on metalled roads, but is slightly unsafe considering the population of elephants, gaur and rhinoceros present in the park. The park is closed in the Monsoon
Monsoon
Monsoon is traditionally defined as a seasonal reversing wind accompanied by corresponding changes in precipitation, but is now used to describe seasonal changes in atmospheric circulation and precipitation associated with the asymmetric heating of land and sea...
season from 16 June to 15 September. The best time to visit Gorumara is from November to March.
One can also visit the adjoining forest villages to get acquainted with the lifestyle and culture of the villagers. A live show of the ethnic tribal dance can be seen every evening in Budhuram Forest Village.
One can visit the Lataguri Nature Interpretation Centre for an interpretive exhibit of the local natural history.
Lodging
The park forest bungalow is an old wooden rustic cottage which has a watchtower overlooking the salt reservoir.Accommodations are also available in River Wood Forest Retreats, a 4 star resort overlooking the Gorumara national park and Murti River www.riverwoodretreat.com and at Gorumara Elephant Camp at Dhupjhora. One can stay in newly constructed cottages in the Kalipur village at the fringe of Gorumara built by the State Forest Department.
Approach
- Nearest airport: BagdograBagdograBagdogra is a small town in the Darjeeling district of West Bengal, India, which is surrounded by tea gardens. Bagdogra is well connected by rail and air to the rest of the country. Bagdogra Airport is the only airport in North Bengal, which is now an International Airport. -References:...
, Jalpaiguri district, West Bengal about 80 km away - Nearest railhead: Broad gauge: ChalsaChalsaChalsa is a small town situated just on the foot of the Himalayas in the Duars in Jalpaiguri district in West Bengal. This small town is surrounded by hills, tea gardens, rivers and forests. One part of the town is surrounded by Gorumara National Park and other part with Chapramari Wildlife...
, Jalpaiguri district, West Bengal is 18 km. from the park. Important railstations: New JalpaiguriNew JalpaiguriNew Jalpaiguri is a major railway station of the city of Siliguri in the Indian state of West Bengal. The station is popularly known by its acronym NJP...
, New Alipurduar - Nearest highway: NH 31 between SiliguriSiliguriSiliguri is a city in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is located in the Siliguri Corridor or Chicken's Neck - a very narrow strip of land linking mainland India to its north-eastern states. It is also the transit point for air, road and rail traffic to the neighbouring countries of Nepal,...
and GuwahatiGuwahatiGuwahati, Pragjyotishpura in ancient Assam formerly known as Gauhati is a metropolis,the largest city of Assam in India and ancient urban area in North East India, with a population of 963,429. It is also the largest metropolitan area in north-eastern India...
passes over LataguriLataguriLataguri is a small town located in the Jalpaiguri district of Indian state of West Bengal. The village is located outside the Gorumara National Park on National Highway No. 31. Permits for entering Gorumara and Chapramari Wildlife Sanctuary are given from Lataguri. The village also contains a...
, the entrance to the park. - Nearest town: The town of LataguriLataguriLataguri is a small town located in the Jalpaiguri district of Indian state of West Bengal. The village is located outside the Gorumara National Park on National Highway No. 31. Permits for entering Gorumara and Chapramari Wildlife Sanctuary are given from Lataguri. The village also contains a...
is 8 km from the park’s entrance. - Nearest city: The city of JalpaiguriJalpaiguriJalpaiguri is a city in the state of West Bengal, India. It is the headquarters of Jalpaiguri district, and the divisional headquarters of the North Bengal region.-History:...
is 52 km to the South of the park.