Jalpaiguri: Trap cameras reveal wild diversity in Kalimpong’s Neora Valley National Park

Trap cameras installed in the Neora Valley National Park in Kalimpong district have captured images of animals other than the Royal Bengal Tiger, indicating the rich biodiversity of the reserve forest. Gorumara wildlife division officials said photographs of animals like wild dog, wild cat, red panda, flying squirrel, clouded leopard and Indian civet were clicked in different areas of the park from October to December last year. “This time, we have found pictures of another carnivorous species, the yellow-throated marten. It is native to the Himalayan region and several photographs of this species have been shot in various places in the Neora Valley,” said Dwijapratim Sen, divisional forest officer of Gorumara Wildlife Division, under which the park is located. According to him, Marten’s pictures were clicked after a gap of about six years. In Neora Valley, trap cameras that can shoot videos and click photographs have been installed at heights ranging from 2,200 feet to 10,500 feet. “The idea is to cover the maximum possible area of the park. The installation of cameras has worked as we got pictures of the Royal Bengal Tiger last year, which confirmed its presence in the park,” Sen said. The forest department sent photographs of the tiger to the National Tiger Conservation Authority, and sought funds for conservation of the species and habitat. Experts say that the yellow-throated marten is an agile carnivorous animal that can jump 20 to 28 feet in one go. It secretes a strong smelling liquid for self-defense and is sharp in nature. “We are keeping an eye on this species. Efforts are made to ensure that they have proper prey base in the park and their habitat remains undisturbed,” Sen said. Leopard killed girl in tea garden Alipurduar: A nine-year-old girl was dragged by a leopard and killed in a tea garden in Alipurduar district on Wednesday. Sources said the animal had dragged away Pratiksha Oraon from Birpara tea garden in Birpara-Madarihat block around 2 pm. His family members informed the forest personnel and police who reached the spot. They started searching for the girl and found her body in the garden. The body was sent for post-mortem. The local people were frightened by this incident. He has demanded the forest workers to install cages to catch the leopard. Four people died in leopard attacks in and around Birpara in the last five months.