Jaldapara: Grasslands devastated, rising risk of human-wildlife conflict

Alipurduar: The vast grasslands of Jaldapara National Park—painstakingly nurtured over decades to sustain herbivores—have been severely damaged by the October 4 disaster.

As a result, the park is now facing an acute food crisis for its herbivorous inhabitants, raising fears of increased human-wildlife conflict in the surrounding villages.

Home to at least 330 one-horned rhinos and over 200 wild elephants, along with bison and several species of deer, Jaldapara’s ecosystem depends heavily on its 1,500 hectares of grassland. These fertile plains, enriched by mineral-rich sediments brought in by rivers from Bhutan, are essential for the natural regeneration of grass that sustains the park’s wildlife.

However, the recent floods have devastated the grasslands along the Torsa and Sisamara rivers — once regarded as the lifeline of the park.

Located in the eastern and northern ranges, these areas supported nearly 60 per cent of Jaldapara’s rhino population. Layers of silt, up to two feet deep, now blanket the grasslands on both banks of the Torsa, and officials estimate it may take at least three months for new grass to grow again. With the dry season approaching, the food scarcity is expected to worsen.

Forest officials have already noticed alarming trends.

Elephant herds, finding easy access to paddy fields, have begun nocturnal raids in nearby villages. Authorities fear that if the shortage continues, rhinos, bison, and deer may also venture closer to human settlements, escalating the risk of conflict.

Jaldapara Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Parveen Kaswan said, “Due to recent floods, many natural grasslands on the banks of the Torsa River have been destroyed, with some buried under one to two feet of silt. This has led to increased elephant movement in agricultural fields, especially where paddy is fully grown. On average, elephants are being sighted at 10–12 locations at night.

The division is deploying multiple teams and conducting awareness drives to reduce man-animal conflicts. The grasslands will recover, but it will take time. It’s a temporary setback—but everyone must stay alert.”