Hit by last year’s floods, Jaldapara’s grasslands set for revival

Alipurduar: After sustaining severe damage during the October 2025 floods, the grasslands of Jaldapara National Park are poised for restoration, with the Forest department initiating the preparation of seeds and saplings of 12 grass species vital for sustaining herbivorous wildlife.

In 2025, severe flooding from the Torsa River caused widespread destruction inside the park. Although grassland rejuvenation across nearly 300 hectares had been completed by August, floods in October destroyed almost 50 per cent of those areas, particularly in Jaldapara’s prime grassland zones. Despite the setback, restoration work has resumed with renewed momentum since the beginning of this year.

According to Forest Department sources, seed preparation will be completed by March. Fresh plantations will then begin in phases during March and April, covering different compartments of the park. New seedbeds have already been prepared near various range and beat offices, while large-scale planting is scheduled for June and July with the onset of the monsoon.

Assistant Wildlife Warden Nabikant Jha said the nurseries currently have grass seeds and saplings in quantities exceeding requirements. “Though conservation work is challenging, we are confident of completing it meticulously within a defined plan and timeline,” he said.

Grassland conservation is a key component of Jaldapara’s ‘Rhino Management Plan’ and ‘Herbivore Management Plan’. After Kaziranga National Park in Assam, Jaldapara is India’s second-largest habitat of the one-horned rhinoceros. The survival of rhinos, elephants, gaurs (bison), deer, and other herbivores depends directly on these grasslands.

The park currently hosts around 350 one-horned rhinos. An adult rhino consumes about 50 kilograms of grass daily and prefers specific varieties such as Dhadda and Chepti. Accordingly, grasslands have been developed inside the park in a phased and scientific manner for nearly three decades.

This year, besides Dhadda and Chepti, seeds of Madhua, Malsa, Bamboo-patari, maize grass, Nal, Khagra, and Hogla are being prepared through nurseries across all five ranges—North, East, West, Chilapata, and Kodalbasti—based on local ecological conditions.

Experts believe the grasslands will show visible improvement before winter sets in after Durga Puja.