The principal circumstance that led to the Gorumara forest being notified as a sanctuary in November, 1940, was its content of about a dozen heads of the Great One Horned Indian Rhinoceros. An area of 1129 acres was notified in that year. Later on in August, 1949, another area of 1000 acres on the east was added on. For many years the number of these massive pachyderms has remained more or less constant, the reason being that the increase resulting from normal multiplication is offset by casualties amongst cows and calves inflicted by tigers, and amongst both cows and bulls inflicted by cultivators' shots in the neighbouring paddy fields. Other than the Balapara forest on the right bank of Sankos, and the forests bordering the Torsa, the Tondu happens to be the only forest in North Bengal that still his a few rhinos. The sanctuary as it is constituted with about half of its area under thick tree forest, and the other half in the riverain area with tall grass, provides an ideal habitat to the rhinoceros. The sanctuary is small being only a little over 3 square miles in extent, and it cannot be expected to hold large animals on a permanent basis. The rhinos roam throughout the Tondu forest far beyond the boundaries of the sanctuary. Although this area was constituted a sanctuary nearly 20 years ago, nothing was ever done either here or in the other sanctuary (Chapramari) in the Tondu forest lying to its north, towards carrying out what is currently understood as Wild Life management. All that has been done is to exclude the area from shooting rights, and the provision of a small protective staff of men in lower ranks having no specialized knowledge nor training. The shooting right of the poacher however, remains unimpaired, and a game sanctuary offers him much greater attraction than a forest outside it. The portion of the sanctuary in close proximity of Gorumara, which often has visitors in the rest-houses, is disturbed a great deal by human noise, but strange as it would seem, it is here that animals are mostly seen. They have learnt from years of experience that the human beings occurring at Gorurnara are friendly, and very unlike the inhuman human beings they have known in other parts of the forest. It is remarkable how quickly the wild denizens of the jungle can feel a kindly atmosphere, and how eager they are to grasp a friendly hand. This has been amply exemplified by the results achieved in the National Parks of the U.S.A. and Canada.
The Gorumara Game Sanctuary stretching across 3 rivers in the Lower Tondu Forest of Jalpaiguri district, occupies an area of 3,326 sq. miles. It falls within the administrative jurisdiction of the Jalpaiguri Forest Division, and the sphere of influence of the Tista-Toorsa Game Association. The sanctuary takes its name from Gorumara a small clearing within the forest reserve on the right bank of the Indong, the smallest of the 3 rivers draining, the submontane area. The clearing, which is on the western edge of the sanctuary, holds two rest-houses together with their outhouses, and is protected on 3 sides against elephants with a 4 feet deep trench. The buildings are all wooden with c. i. sheet roof. The larger 2 storeyed rest-house provides accommodation to forest officers of gazetted rank, while the smaller rest-house on stilts is meant for the non-gazetted staff. The nearest station on the Assam rail link is Chalsa with which Gorumara is connected by a first class motor road of which 6 miles are tar-macadam, and 2 miles shingled.
The principal circumstance that led to the Gorumara forest being notified as a sanctuary in November, 1940, was its content of about a dozen heads of the Great One Horned Indian Rhinoceros. For many years the number of these massive pachyderms has remained more or less constant, the reason being that the increase resulting from normal multiplication is offset by casualties amongst cows and calves inflicted by tigers, and amongst both cows and bulls inflicted by cultivators' shots in the neighbouring paddy fields.
About November, 1951, a cow-rhino with a very small calf was frequently seen. A tiger was after this calf, and one afternoon in early December when I happened to be at Gorumara with some friends, the tiger went for the calf. The cow at once charged the tiger, and a fearful battle ensued about 300 yards from the platform. There was a lot of movement, and the tall grass often obscured the view, but the little that could be seen kept the small crowd at Gorumara spellbound for 30 minutes or so. All was quiet thereafter, but the battle was inconclusive. About 3 weeks later I saw the cow-rhino and her small calf again. The calf looked normal, but the cow was emaciated, bore deep claw marks, on both flanks, and seemed to walk slowly with some difficulty. In the third week of January, 1952. the second and the concluding round of battle was fought during the night, and the poor, much weakened rhinoceros was killed together with her calf. I was not at Gorumara at the time, and the news reached me the following evening. I reached Gorumara on the 3rd day, and I found the remains of the two animals on the right bank of the Indong, a little upstream of Gorumara. This time there were two tigers, and the calf had been completely eaten together with about a third of the cow. There were no vultures, and from the signs imprinted on the soft earth no carrion eaters such as bears, wild pigs, and civet cat had visited the kill. That proved that the killers were constantly there until my arrival.
