CONTENTS 1. From the Editoral Desk 1 2. Œ√ª±˘œ1 1±øÓ¬ ¬ıÚ1œ˚˛± ˝√√±Ó¬œ √˙«Ú ά0 ¬ÛÀΩù´1 ·Õ· 2 3. ø¬ı¬ıÌ« ¬ı¸≈Ò± ø‰¬√± √±¸ 6 4. ¬ı±‚1 ø‰¬fl¡±1 ’±1n∏ øfl¡Â≈√ fl¡Ô± ά±– Ó¬1n∏Ì ‰¬f Œ‡1œ˚˛± 10 5. ˜±Î¬◊∞I◊ Œ‰¬∞I◊ Œ˝√√À˘k1 ά◊√ƒø·1Ì Œ˜±ø˝√√Úœ fl≈¡˜±1 ·Õ· 13 6. ˝√√±Ó¬1 fl≈¡Í¬±1 ˆ¬ø1Ó¬ Œ·±À˘±fl¡ ‰¬f √M√√ 18 7. ¸—1é¬Ì1 ˙Sn∏ – ¬Û1•Û1±·Ó¬ ’gø¬ıù´±¸ √œ¬Û±˘œ √M√√ ¬ı1√Õ˘ 21 8. ˝√√ô¶œ ˜±Úª ¸—‚±Ó¬ – ¤øȬ ’±À˘±‰¬Ú± ά±– õ∂¬ıœÌ fl≈¡˜±1 ŒÚ›· 24 9. ¬ı±Ú¬Û±Úœ1 ¸˜˚˛Ó¬ fl¡±øÊ√1„√√±1 ¬ÛÔÓ¬ ˝◊√√øµ1± ·Õ· ¬ı≈Ϭˇ±À·±˝√√“±˝◊√√ 30 10. ˜±‰¬±˝◊√√ ˜±1± ¤øȬ ‰¬˜≈ w˜Ì fl¡±ø˝√√Úœ 1±‡œ √M√√ ˙˝◊√√fl¡œ˚˛± 34 11. ¤Ê√±fl¡ ¬Û鬜 ’±1n∏ øά¬ıËn∏-∆Â√À‡±ª± Ó‘¬ø5 √±¸ 39 12. ˆ¬”À¬ÛÚ ˝√√±Ê√ø1fl¡±1 ·œÓ¬Ó¬ õ∂fl‘¡øÓ¬Àõ∂˜ ¸≈˜ôL ‰¬ø˘˝√√± 44 13. ’¸˜Ó¬ ˙±ôL ¬ıÚ…õ∂±Ìœ1 ’˙±ôL 1+¬Û– ¸•Ûfl«¡ ¬ıÚ±˜ ¸—‚¯∏« ά0 õ∂¬ı±˘ ˙˝◊√√fl¡œ˚˛± 46 14. Œˆ¬—1±˝◊√√1 ¬ıÚ1Ê√± õ∂Ì˚˛ ¬ı1√Õ˘ 49 15. Curzons, Miri and Kaziranga Ramani Kanta Deka 51 16. Kaziranga : Conservation vs Tourism Mubina Akhtar 54 17. Plight of Assam Elephants Dinesh Chandra Choudhury 62 18. The Monpas Of Thembang Anand Banerjee 67 19. Visiting Shedd Aquarium in Chicago Dr. Chandana Choudhury Barua 70 20. Occurrence of groundwater in Guwahati city B. K. Das 75 21. Tourism and Wildlife-Scope for symbiosis? R.C. Saikia 80 22. A Stroke of Mesi Da Kharga Narayan Dev Goswami 85 23. Our tribute to the legend : Dr. Bhupen Hazarika Irshad Ali 89 24. Spiritualism in Conservation R. N. Chowdhury 95 25. Conserving Our Wildlife Heritage Vikram Aditya Saikia 98 26. Deepor Beel : An Endangered Wetland Pia Radhika Hazarika 99 27. Whose Space is it anyway? Meghali 106 28. Green Glory Debasish Barua 108 29. Something about Wildlife Dr. Prasanta Kumar Boro 111 30. Brown Bears of Alaska Shyamal Dutta 113 31. It's Up to U s Sindhu Kashyap Borpuzari 118 32. Estimation of Birds in Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary 120 33. Rhino Estimation 2012 Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary 124 34. Impact of Supreme Court Orders on Restriction Isha Pandey 130 Imposed on Core area 35. Report of the General Secretary Rajeev Saikia 132 EXECUTIVE COMMITEE KAZARANGA WILDLIFE SOCIETY, 2011-12 President : Shri Indrajit Dutta, 9435143710 Working President : Shri Abani Kr Baruah, 9435197779 Vice President : Shri Padum Borthakur, 9859944621 Secretary : Shri Rajeev Saikia, 9613890505 Jt. Secretary : Shri Ajit Baruah, 9613835429 Shri Jogen Hazarika, 9854291618 Shri Pradip Borkataki, 9435348936 Asstt. Secy. : Shri Utpal Panchanan, 9435080867 Treasurer : Shri Anuj Kr. Baruah, 9864046313 Editor : Shri Sourav Mahanta, 9864096141 Executive Members : 1. Shri Madhavananda Dutta Bordoloi, 9435199046 2. Shri Budhin Baruah, 9435149806 3. Shri Anil Kr. Boruah, 9864033752 4. Mrs. Rakhi Saikia, 9435151140 5. Shri Amarjyoti Bhagawati, 9864020676 6. Shri Kaliprasad Buragohain, 9435544769 7. Shri Anup Sarmah, 9706582036 8. Shri Mohini Gogoi, 9435119334 9. Dr. Indrajit Sharma, 9435040439 10. Shri Sarat Borah, 9864013312 Adviser : 1. Shri R.N. Chowdhury, 9864506483 2. Shri R.K. Deka, 03612133553 3. Shri Rudra Goswami, 9435044818 4. Shri Jayanta Dutta, 9864015660 5. Dr. Niloy Kr. Das, 9864220032 6. Shri Nagen Das, 9957186267 2 From the Editoral Desk The unrestrained growth of commercial ventures around biodiversity hot spots detrimental to the cause of conservation finally received the attention if deserves from the highest judicial authority of the country. The judicial pronouncement restricting the entry of tourists to the core area of tiger sanctuary is an wellcome initiative for conservation of this fast dwindling wildlife species which once ruled the roost in subcontinental forests. But it also seems to have left a shroud of confusion in some of the prime wildlife tourism destinations in India where Project Tiger forms an integral part of a national park with a wide mix of wildlife in general. The most recent case in point is Kaziranga – the largest habitat of one horned Asiatic Rhino for which tourists from all over the world arrive here. Incidentally Kaziranga National Park is also declared as Project Tiger site which obiously would work at cross purpose for the tourism trade since tourist are to be debarred from entering the park any more. This would mean the entire tourism infrastructure built over the years with large capital outlay will be rendered idle and turned non performing assets. The large liabilitiy of capital invested – mostly borrowed from institutions at a high cost, will be an albatross around the investing entreprenur’s neck. Nor can they dispose off the assets and recover the cost since without Kaziranga National Park, these properties will not find any buyers even at discounted rates. Making matters still worse are the two responsible agencies which so far have not made any effort to ally the gathering tensions of the investors concerned. These agencies are the deptt. of Forest and that of Tourism particularly the later, which itself has high stakes involved in KNP. In the absence of any clarification from the deptt. as to what is the real implication of Supreme Court verdict vis-a-vis. KNP, the atmosphere in the vicinity of KNP is getting increasingly res- tive. Fortunately, KNP has still a lot to offer to Tourist even without access to the core area. It only needs imazinative planning and innovative ideas in harnesing the non traditional themes with appropriate USPs, positioning them to the right audiance. To make it possible what is imperative is smooth coordinations of various agencies and entreprenures as much as that of NGOs work- ing for the welfare of wildlife, ecology and tourism. Once this is assured the entire area around Kaziranga– both natural and man made may soon be developed into the most sought after eco- tourism destination in the country like the backwaters of Kerela. Before I conclude I thank those patrons who contributed to this magazine as also the fellow members of KWLS who helped me bring out this edition of the Rhino. Sourav Mahanta Editor 1 Œ√ª±˘œ1 1±øÓ¬ ¬ıÚ1œ˚˛± ˝√√±Ó¬œ √˙«Ú ά0 ¬ÛÀΩù´1 ·Õ· 2005 ‰¬Ú1 ¤fl¡ ÚÀª•§1º fl¡±˘œ ¬Û”Ê√± ’±1n∏ ’1+À¬Û ’±À¬ıø˘ 3-30 ¬ıÊ√±Ó¬ Ê√œ¬ÛøÂ√ Œ√ª±˘œº fl¡À˘Ê√ ¬ıgº ‚1ÀÓ¬ ’±ÀÂ√±º ≈√¬Û1œ˚˛± ·±Î¬ˇœ‡ÚÓ¬ Œ˜±fl¡ Ó≈¬ø˘ ∆˘ ˙…±˜1±˝◊√√¬Û≈1Õ˘ 1±›Ú± ¿’1+¬Û ¬ı~ˆ¬ Œ·±¶§±˜œÀ˚˛ ŒÙ¬±ÀÚÀ1 1±øÓ¬Õ˘ ˜1ø„√√ ˝√√í˘º ˘·Ó¬ ˜±˝◊√√Ú± ’±1n∏ ø¬ıÀ1fº ∆√À¢∂±— ¬Û±˚˛ Ó¬±ÀÓ¬ ’=˘1 ˙…±˜1±˝◊√√¬Û≈1 ¬ı±·±ÚÓ¬ ˝√√±Ó¬œ ‰¬±¬ıÕ˘ ˘· ’˘¬Û ¸˜˚˛ ∆1 ¶ö±Úœ˚˛ ≈√Ê√Ú ¬ı…øMê√1 ˘·Ó¬ ¬ıÚ1œ˚˛± Òø1À˘º ¤Àfl¡¯∏±À1˝◊√√ ˚±˜ ¬ı≈ø˘ fl¡íÀ˘±º ’1+¬Ûfl¡ Œ¸˝◊√√ ˝√√±Ó¬œÀ˚˛ fl¡íÓ¬ fl¡íÓ¬ ά◊¬Û^ª fl¡ø1ÀÂ√, ¬ıÚ ø¬ıˆ¬±À· ˝√√±Ó¬œ ͬ±˝◊√√1 ¶ö±Úœ˚˛ ˜±Ú≈À˝√√ ‡¬ı1 ø√ÀÂ√ Œ˚ 1±øÓ¬Õ˘ ˝√√±Ó¬œ1 Œ‡√±Ó¬ ¶ö±Úœ˚˛ 1±˝◊√√Ê√fl¡ Œfl¡ÀÚ√À1 ¸˝√√±˚˛ fl¡ø1ÀÂ√ Ê√±fl¡ ¤È¬± Ú±˜øÚ ∆√À¢∂±— ¬ıÚ±=˘1 ¬Û1± ∆√À¢∂±— ˝◊√√Ó¬…±ø√ fl¡Ô±À¬ı±1 Ê√±øÚ ˘íÀ˘± ’±1n∏ ŒÓ¬›“À˘±fl¡1 Ú√œ ¬Û±1 ∆˝√√, ˙…±˜1±˝◊√√¬Û≈1 ‰¬±˝√√ ¬ı±·±Ú1 Œ‡˘ ¬ÛÔ±11 ¬Û1±› øÚø(Ó¬ ˝√√À˘± Œ˚ ’±øÊ√ ø√ÚÓ¬ Ú±˜øÚ ∆√À¢∂±— ˜±ÀÊ√ø√ fl¡±Í¬øÚ, Ò˘±&ø1 ’±ø√ ͬ±˝◊√√1 ¬ÛÔ±1Ó¬ Ò±Ú ¬ıÚ±=˘Ó¬ ˝√√±Ó¬œ1 Ê√±fl¡ ¤È¬± ’±ÀÂ√º ∆√À¢∂±—1 ¬Û1± ‡±¬ıÕ˘ ˚±¬ıº ¸±Ò±1ÌÀÓ¬ Ú±˜øÚ ∆√À¢∂±— ¬ıÚ±=˘1 Ò˘±&ø1, fl¡±Í¬øÚ ‰¬±˝√√ ¬ı±·±Ú1 ˜±ÀÊ√ø√ ∆· ¬Û1± ˝√√±Ó¬œ ˙…±˜1±˝◊√√¬Û≈1 ¬ı±·±Ú1 Œ‡˘ ¬ÛÔ±11 ˜±ÀÊ√ø√ ˙…±˜1±˝◊√√¬Û≈1 ‰¬±˝√√ ¬ı±·±Ú ¬¬Û±À˘±Õ·º ‰¬±˝√√ ¬ı±·±Ú‡Ú1 fl¡±Í¬øÚ, Ò˘±&ø1Õ˘ ˚±˚˛º Œ¸˝◊√√ ¬ÛÔÀȬ± ˝√√±Ó¬œ1 √Gœ fl¡˘‚11 ›‰¬1ÀÓ¬ ∆1 ¬ı±·±Ú1 ŒÎ¬fl¡± ˘í1± ¤Ê√Úfl¡ [corridor) º Œ¸À˚˛À˝√√ Ú±˜øÚ ∆√À¢∂±—Ó¬ ˝√√±Ó¬œ1 Ê√±fl¡ ˝√√±Ó¬œ ’±øÊ√ ¬ı±·±Ú1 Œ‡˘ ¬ÛÔ±11 ˜±ÀÊ√ø√ ¬Û±1 ˝√√í¬ıÀÚ Ôfl¡± ·˜ ¬Û±À˘ ¶ö±Úœ˚˛À˘±Àfl¡ ˝√√±Ó¬œ Œ‡˘ ¬ÛÔ±11 Ú˝√√˚˛ Œ¸˝◊√√ ø¬ı¯∏À˚˛ ¸≈øÒÀ˘±º ø˚À˝√√Ó≈¬ Ú±˜øÚ ∆√À¢∂±— ˜±ÀÊ√ø√ ¬Û±1Õ˝√√ fl¡±Í¬øÚ, Ò˘±&ø1 Ù¬±À˘ ˚±¬ı ¬ı≈ø˘ ¬ıÚ±=˘Ó¬ ˝√√±Ó¬œ1 Ê√±fl¡ÀȬ± ’±ÀÂ√ ·øÓ¬Àfl¡ 1±øÓ¬Õ˘ øÚø(Ó¬ ˝√√˚˛º ø¬ıÀ˙¯∏Õfl¡ ¬Ûfl¡±Ò±Ú1 ø√ÚÓ¬º ’1+À¬Û Ê√±fl¡ÀȬ± ∆√À¢∂±— Ú√œ ¬Û±1 ∆˝√√ ¬ı±·±Ú1 Œ‡˘ ¬ÛÔ±11 ¬ıUø√Ú1 ¬Û1± ˝√√±Ó¬√œ1 Ù¬ÀȬ± ŒÓ¬±˘± ’±1n∏ ˘·ÀÓ¬ ˝√√±Ó¬œ ˜±ÀÊ√ø√ ¬¬Û±1 ∆˝√√ Ò1±&ø11 Ù¬±À˘ ˚±¬ı˝◊√√ ¬ı≈ø˘ ˘í1±Ê√ÀÚ ˜±Ú≈˝√√1 ¸—‚±È¬ fl¡À˜±ª± ’±ø√ fl¡±˜Ó¬ Ê√øάˇÓ¬ ∆˝√√ ’±ÀÂ√º fl¡íÀ˘º ˘í1±Ê√Úfl¡ ·±Î¬ˇœÓ¬ Ó≈¬ø˘Õ˘ Œ‡˘ ¬ÛÔ±1‡Ú1 Œ·±˘±‚±È¬ øÊ√˘±1 ¬Ûø(˜ ’=˘, ˚Ó¬ ˝√√±Ó¬œ1 ά◊¬Û^ª ¬Ûø(˜ ø√˙Õ˘ ·íÀ˘± ’±1n∏ ˝√√±Ó¬œ Œ‡˘ ¬ÛÔ±1‡Ú1 ∆˝√√À˚˛ Ô±Àfl¡, ø¬ıÀ˙¯∏Õfl¡ ˜1ø„√√ Œ˜ÃÊ√±1 ŒÎ¬fl¡± Œfl¡±Ú ¶ö±ÀÚø√ ¬Û±1 ˝√√˚˛ Ó¬±1 ¬ı≈Ê√ ˘íÀ˘±º Œ‡˘ ˘í1±À¬ı±11 ˘·Ó¬ ’1+¬Û1 ˆ¬±˘ ¸•Ûfl«¡º Œ¸À˚˛À˝√√ ¬ÛÔ±1‡Ú ¬Û”ª±-¬Ûø(˜±º ˝√√±Ó¬œ1 Ê√±fl¡ Œ‡˘ ¬ÛÔ±1‡Ú1 ˝√√±Ó¬œ1 ‡¬ı1À¬ı±1 ¬ıÚ ø¬ıˆ¬±À· Œ¬Û±ª±1 ’±·ÀÓ¬ ’1+À¬Û ά◊M√√1 ø√√˙1 ¬Û1± √øé¬Ì-¬Û”ª ø√˙Õ˘ ¬Û±1 ∆˝√√ ˚±˚˛ ¬Û±˚˛º ’ªÀ˙… ’1+¬Û› ’¸˜ ‰¬1fl¡±11 ’Õ¬ıÓ¬øÚfl¡ ¬ı≈ø˘ ˜±Ú≈˝√√1 ¬Û1± ¸≈øÒ Ê√±øÚ-¬ı≈øÊ√ ˘À˘±º Œ¸˝◊√√ ͬ±˝◊√√ÀÓ¬ ¬ıÚ ø¬ı¯∏˚˛±º ·±Î¬ˇœ 1±ø‡ ¸˜˚˛¶ö ≈√Ê√Ú Œ˘±fl¡fl¡ ˘·Ó¬ ∆˘ ‰¬±˝√√Úœ1 2 ˜±ÀÊ√ ˜±ÀÊ√ ¬Ûø(˜ ø√˙Õ˘ Œ‡±Ê√ fl¡±øϬˇ ·íÀ˘±º ¤Àfl¡±È¬±Õfl¡ ‰¬±Ê«√ ˘±˝◊√√Ȭ ø√ ˝√√±Ó¬œ1 Ê√±fl¡ÀȬ± Œ‡˘¬ÛÔ±1 ∆√À¢∂±— Ú√œ‡Ú Œ¬Û±ª±1 ø¬ÛÂ√Ó¬ ˘·Ó¬ Œ˚±ª± ˜±Ú≈˝√√ ¬Û±1 ˝√√›“ÀÓ¬ Œfl¡±ÚÀȬ± Œfl¡±Ì1 ¬Û1± Œfl¡ÀÚÕfl¡ Œ¬Û±˝√√1 ≈√Ê√ÀÚ ˝√√±Ó¬œ ’˝√√± √Gœ Œ√‡≈ª±˝◊√√ ø√À˘º Ú√œ1 ¬Û±1Ó¬ ø√¬ı ˘±ø·¬ı ’±ø√ fl¡Ô±À¬ı±1 ˆ¬±˘Õfl¡ ¬ı≈Ê√±˝◊√√ ø√À˘º ’±1n∏ ¤Ê√Ú Œ˘±fl¡fl¡ ˘· ¬Û±˚˛ ˝√√±Ó¬œ Ê√±fl¡ÀȬ±1 ø¬ı¯∏À˚˛ Œfl¡À˜1±, ˘±˝◊√√Ȭ ¸fl¡À˘± ¸±Ê≈√ ˝√√í˘º ¤øÓ¬˚˛± ˝√√±Ó¬œ1 Œ¸±Ò±Ó¬ Ê√±fl¡ÀȬ± ø¸¬Û±À1 ’±ÀÂ√ ¬ı≈ø˘ fl¡íÀ˘ ’±1n∏ Ê√±fl¡ÀȬ± ’±ø˝√√À˘˝◊√√ ˝√√í˘º Œ˜±1 øfl¡c ¸Àµ˝√√ ŒÓ¬øÓ¬˚˛±› 1±øÓ¬Õ˘ ¬Û±1 ˝√√í¬ı˝◊√√ ¬ı≈ø˘ Ê√Ú±À˘º øÚø(Ó¬ ˝√√íÀ˘± ’±“Ó¬1± Ú±øÂ√˘º fl¡±1Ì ˝◊√√˜±Ú ˜±Ú≈˝√√1 ¸˜±·˜, ø‰¬¤û1- ˝√√±Ó¬œ1 Ê√±fl¡ÀȬ± ’±ÀÂ√˝◊√√ ¬ı≈ø˘º Ú√œ1 ¬Û±11 ¬Û1± ·±Î¬ˇœ ¬ı±‡1, ˜±˝◊√√fl¡1 ˙s, Œ¬Û±˝√√1 ’±ø√1 ¬ı±À¬ı ˝√√±Ó¬œ1 ∆Ô Œ˚±ª± ͬ±˝◊√√Õ˘ ‚”ø1À˘±º 1±ô¶±ÀÓ¬ ¬ÛÔ±1Ó¬ 1±øÓ¬ Ê√±fl¡ÀȬ± ’±ø˝√√ Œ‡˘ ¬ÛÔ±1 ¬Û±1 ˝√√í¬ı Ê√±ÀÚ±∑ ’1+¬Û Ò±Ú 1ø‡¬ıÕ˘ Œ˚±ª± ≈√Ê√Ú Œ˘±fl¡fl¡ ˘· ¬Û±˚˛ ˝√√±Ó¬œ øfl¡c øÚø(Ó¬, ˝√√±Ó¬œ ¬Û±1 ˝√√í¬ı˝◊√√º ’±˜±1 ›‰¬1Õ˘ Ú√œ ¬Û±1 ˝√√íÀ˘ Ȭí«√1 Œ¬Û±˝√√À1À1 ŒÈ¬„√√œ1 ¬Û1± Ê√±ÚÚœ ¬ı±·±Ú1 ¸M√√1 ά◊X«1 ¤Ê√Ú Œ˘±fl¡ ’±ø˝√√˘º fl¡Ô±-¬ı±Ó«¬± ø√¬ıÕ˘ fl¡íÀ˘±º ·±Î¬ˇœ1 ›‰¬1 ¬Û±˚˛ ˝√√±Ó¬œ Œ‡˘ ¬ÛÔ±1Õ˘ ˝√√À˘±º ˜±Ú≈˝√√Ê√Ú ¬ı±·±Ú1 ¬ıÚ≈ª±1 ‰¬«√±1 ’±øÂ√˘º Ê√ij› Œ¸±À˜±ª± ¶ö±Ú1 ¬Û1± ¬Ûø(˜Õ˘ õ∂±˚˛ 50 ø˜È¬±1 ˜±Ú ¤˝◊√√ ¬ı±·±ÚÀÓ¬º ŒÓ¬›“ › øÚø(Ó¬ Œ˚ ˝√√±Ó¬œ1