Floods that swept through Gorumara National Park have devastated North Bengal’s wildlife, leaving behind a trail of carcasses and triggering panic as displaced animals stray into nearby localities, a forest department official said on Friday.
Over recent days, forest staff and environmentalists have discovered the bodies of rhinoceroses, bison, deer and wild boars across the park and adjoining areas, exposing the scale of destruction caused by the deluge to one of Bengal’s key forest ecosystems.
The carcass of an adult male rhino was recovered from Kurigram, Bangladesh, on Wednesday, suggesting floodwaters may have carried animals across the international border. This is the second rhino carcass found so far, while another remains missing. Officials have not confirmed the total number of rhinos unaccounted for following the disaster.
Five bison carcasses were also discovered in submerged zones under Amguri and Churabhandar Gram Panchayats. Post-mortem examinations were conducted on several animals, including four deer, one wild boar, multiple bison and a rhino, at the Lataguri Nature Observatory. Officials fear more carcasses may lie buried under thick layers of silt in the Jaldhaka river basin.
Environmentalists have demanded an immediate post-flood wildlife census to assess the full extent of damage. “A survey is essential to determine the extent of loss caused by this natural disaster,” said Nandu Roy, secretary of the Maynaguri Road Environmental Organisation. Echoing the concern, Anirban Majumdar, convener of the Environmental Joint Platform, urged that “the survey should be conducted without delay.”
Forest officials expressed deep alarm at the rising death toll. A frozen rhino carcass recovered from the Jaldhaka River three days ago was described as the beginning of a “death procession” in the forest. Another rhino was subsequently found across the Bangladesh border.
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“The body of the rhino found in Bangladesh will not be brought back to Gorumara. The entire matter is under investigation,” said Bhaskar JV, North Bengal Divisional Forest Officer (Wildlife).
The last rhino census, held in March 2025, recorded 61 rhinos in Gorumara. Several calves have since been born, but their current status remains uncertain. Patrol operations have been severely restricted as thick silt has blocked major routes, making both foot and elephant patrols impossible.
Wildlife enters human habitation; two injured in rhino attack
As the floodwaters recede, a new crisis has emerged, wild animals are venturing into human settlements, causing widespread panic in Cooch Behar district. Residents of Pundibari reported sightings of a rhino roaming freely since Wednesday night. On Friday morning, two residents, Dilip Das and Bibha Kar, sustained serious injuries after a rhino attack and were admitted to a private hospital in Cooch Behar. Their condition is reported to be critical.
A joint rescue operation was launched by the forest and fire departments, supported by a tranquiliser team from Jaldapara Forest. The rhino was successfully sedated and rescued after several tense hours. Officials are investigating how the animal reached the area.
In Mathabhanga’s Ghoshkadanga area, two people were killed following wild boar attacks on Thursday. The administration has issued strict warnings, urging locals to avoid venturing outdoors unnecessarily.
Forest officials believe rhinos and other animals were swept away from Jaldapara by the floods and may now be scattered across the region. The total number of displaced or dead rhinos remains uncertain, with search and rescue teams continuing operations.
“We are maintaining continuous surveillance until the situation is completely under control,” said a district administration official, adding that additional rescue teams have been deployed in vulnerable zones.
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