"In the Python's Grip"

Gorumara, West Bengal State

Map of northern West Bengal, northeast India showing primary and secondary locations (click on map for enlarged view)

The crew and I flew into Bagdogra from Dehli, to be met by the production team (director Hugo and producer Tom), and drove to the Garumara Jungle Camp which was to be our base whilst in West Bengal. From here we could search the neighbouring Gorumara National Park or venture the 62 km further east to Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary. The jungle camp is established on the edge of a working tea plantation.

Tea plantation at Garumara Jungle Camp	and the edge of the jungle

The backdrop to this part of northeastern India is dominated by the snow-covered peaks of the Eastern Himalaya since we were close to the borders of Nepal, Sikkim (India's northern-most state) and Bhutan. At a restaurant one evening a large modern 4x4 drew up and a Bhutanese family in full Bhutanese dress arrived for a meal, a curious mixture of Medieval attire and 21st Century mode of transport.

The towering Himalayas dominate the landscape

To the south lies Bangladesh and the mass of waterways and deltas created by the Ganges entering from the west and the Brahmaputra entering from the east. The state of Assam also lies to the east along with India's six lesser-known northeastern states (Megalaya, Manipur, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Tripura and Mizoram).

Gorumara National Park is an 80 sq.km protected area in the Eastern Himalaya between the Jaldhaka and Neora Rivers. Habitat comprises terai grassland and tropical deciduous sal forest and the park was established in 1949, as a reserve to protect the Indian one-horned rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis).

Terai grassland of Gorumara National Park
Jaldhaka River, Gorumara National Park

Mark on the elephant with an accompanying gun guard before entering the national park

We travelled by elephant and also on foot in 2001 but today ranger-led elephant treks are no longer available and hiking off the roads is dangerous due to the large populations of rhinoceros, Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) and Gaur or Indian bison (Bos gaurus).

I rode on the elephant with both a mahout and a gun guard, a curious addition I have not experienced when riding elephants in tiger country in western Nepal.

We did encounter three Indian one-horned rhinoceros and gaur but it was impossible to find pythons from on elephant-back.

Elephant trek in the national Park	Indian one-horned rhinoceros, Rhinoceros unicornis

When we obtained special dispensation to enter the riverine elephant-grass on foot we were more fortunate. First we found a small (2.5 m) male Burmese rock python (Python bivittatus) and then whilst I was presenting a PTC (piece to camera) about this snake our local guide, Minto Choudri, drew my attention to a much larger specimen under the dense grass. It was a 5.3 m female Burmese python in pre-ecdysis, possibly the reason the male was present.

Mark trekking on foot, cutting a trail with a machete	Capture of the male Indian one-horned rhinoceros, Rhinoceros unicornis

2.5 m male Burmese rock python, Python bivittatus
5.3 m female Burmese rock python, Python bivittatus

Mark and Minto stretch out and measure the large female python	The front ends of both specimens
Mark with the large female Burmese rock python, Python bivittatus

These were the only two Burmese rock pythons we found in the Gorumara National Park but we also found Yellow-bellied half-toed gecko (Hemidactylus flaviviridis), Common garden lizard (Calotes versicolor), and Bengal monitor lizard (Varanus bengalensis).

Bengal monitor lizard, Varanus bengalensis, but difficult to see in the tree hole, also the falling item looks like a blindsnake, which may be found in epiphytes, but this was not seen until the film was processed.

Minto Choudri also arrived at the jungle camp with two snakes for me to photograph: Eastern gamma (Boiga gokool) and Rainbow smooth watersnake (Enhydris enhydris).

Rainbow smooth watersnake, Enhydris enhydris
Eastern gamma, Boiga gokool

Also at Gorumara I met a one-month old leopard cub, which decided to test out its sharp little teeth on my hands.

The young leopard cub at the rescue centre near Jaldapara

The successful team: (l-r) back row: three local guides; middle row: Thomas Viner (producer),Terry Meadowcroft (sound recordist), unknown, Asif Ali (expedition doctor; front row: Pradip Acharya (location manager), Hugo Smith (director), Mark Stokes (cameraman), Mark O'Shea, Minto Choudhri, local guide