There is a world somewhere between reality and fiction. Although ignored by many, it is very real and so are those living in it. This forum is about the natural world. Here, wild animals will be heard and respected. The forum offers a glimpse into an unknown world as well as a room with a view on the present and the future. Anyone able to speak on behalf of those living in the emerald forest and the deep blue sea is invited to join.
(01-26-2019, 08:06 AM)Jimmy Wrote: One of the most impressive skull collection from Kuch Behar. Big and nice quality pic
*This image is copyright of its original author
Most are wild buffaloes skulls, two gaur skulls on the bottom 2nd ones, and one in the top middle, two sambar skulls on top 2nd row on either side with three points, two barahsingha skulls on the bottom either side. Then three rhinos skull on the bottom in the middle. Tiger, wild boar and probably bear skulls? on the floor.
Water buffalos (????) & swamp deers (1954) are both lost from North Bengal now.
Since 1998, a herd of Swamp Deers brought from Lucknow Zoo were kept in semi-wild enclosure of 2.5ha with a water hole inside Jaldapara, for rewilding.
I saw the enclosure. Total of 28 births were recorded up to July, 2014 from (2♂ and 4 ♀) founder stock. Due to problems like premature death of 50% fawns due to snakebites & 5 dying in a fortnight dur to a disease the deers are now in a safari adjoining Mahananda Sanctuary in Siliguri.
A male escaped once in 2004 though, & survived alone until 2006 until he was "rescued" from 7 kms away.
Hope we bring back water-buffalos someday too... from both Nepal & Assam.
Actually the stretch of Terai from India and Nepal is so diverse it already has most of the big and popular animals associated with South Asia- elephant, rhino, gaur, buffalo, sambar, nilgai, barahsingha, blackbuck, wolf, dhole, hyena, both black and sloth bears. It would have been awesome to swap those with Assamese animals- since this region seems to be at a carrying capacity with some giant herbivores. It would absolutely aid in accelerating the restocking process. Sometimes I wonder why it is not happening in earnest already, but then I think it's a bit like the dilemma with 'gir' a pride of the place - kind of thing.
