The Sundarbans (Bengali: সুন্দরবন Shundorbon ) is a National Park, Tiger Reserve, and a Biosphere Reserve in India. It is part of the Sundarbans on the Ganges Delta of India and Bangladesh.
The delta is densely covered by mangrove forests, and is one of the largest reserves for the Bengal tiger. Sundarbans is the largest single block of tidal halophytic mangrove forest in the world. The Sundarbans is a UNESCO World Heritage Site covering parts of Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal. It is also home to a variety of bird, reptile and invertebrate species, including the salt-water crocodile. The present Sundarbans National Park was declared as the core area of Sundarbans Tiger Reserve in 1973 and a wildlife sanctuary in 1977. On May 4, 1984 it was declared a National Park.
More than two-third of the Sundarbans is in Bangladesh and the remainder is in West Bengal, India. The Sundarbans National Park is a National Park, Tiger Reserve, and a Biosphere Reserve located in the Sundarbans delta in the Indian state of West Bengal. Sundarbans South, East and West are three protected forests in Bangladesh. This region is densely covered by mangrove forests, and is one of the largest reserves for the Bengal Tiger and it is estimated that there are now 400 Royal Bengal tigers and about 30,000 spotted deer in the area.
Geography
The Sundarban forest lies in the vast delta on the Bay of Bengal formed by the super confluence of the Padma, Brahmaputra and Meghna rivers across southern Bangladesh. The seasonally flooded Sundarbans freshwater swamp forests lie inland from the mangrove forests on the coastal fringe. The forest covers 10,000 km. of which about 6,000 are in Bangladesh. It became inscribed as a UNESCO world heritage site in 1997. The Sundarbans is estimated to be about 4,110 km, of which about 1,700 km is occupied by waterbodies in the forms of river, canals and creeks of width varying from a few meters to several kilometers.
The Sundarbans is intersected by a complex network of tidal waterways, mudflats and small islands of salt-tolerant mangrove forests. The interconnected network of waterways makes almost every corner of the forest accessible by boat. The area is known for the eponymous Royal Bengal Tiger (Panthera tigris tigris), as well as numerous fauna including species of birds, spotted deer, crocodiles and snakes. The fertile soils of the delta have been subject to intensive human use for centuries, and the ecoregion has been mostly converted to intensive agriculture, with few enclaves of forest remaining. The remaining forests, taken together with the Sundarbans mangroves, are important habitat for the endangered tiger. Additionally, the Sundarbans serves a crucial function as a protective barrier for the millions of inhabitants in and around Khulna and Mongla against the floods that result from the cyclones. The Sundarbans has also been enlisted among the finalists in the New7Wonders of Nature.
Flora
A total 245 genera and 334 plant species were recorded by David Prain in 1903. While most of the mangroves in other parts of the world are characterized by members of the Rhizophoraceae, Avicenneaceae or Combretaceae, the mangroves of Bangladesh are dominated by the Malvaceae and Euphorbiaceae. Dominant flora includes:
The Sundarbans flora is characterized by the abundance of sundari (Heritiera fomes), gewa (Excoecaria agallocha), goran(Ceriops decandra) and keora (Sonneratia apetala) all of which occur prominently throughout the area. The characteristic tree of the forest is the sundari (Heritiera littoralis), from which the name of the forest had probably been derived. It yields a hard wood, used for building houses and making boats, furniture and other things. New forest accretions is often conspicuously dominated by keora (Sonneratia apetala) and tidal forests. It is an indicator species for newly accreted mudbanks and is an
important species for wildlife, especially spotted deer (Axis axis).
There is abundance of dhundul or passur (Xylocarpus granatum) and kankra (Bruguiera gymnorrhiza) though distribution is discontinuous. Among palms, Poresia coaractata, Myriostachya wightiana and golpata (Nypa fruticans), and among grasses spear grass (Imperata cylindrica) and khagra (Phragmites karka) are well distributed. The varieties of the forests that exist in Sunderbans include mangrove scrub, littoral forest, saltwater mixed forest, brackish water mixed forest and swamp forest.
Besides the forest, there are extensive areas of brackish water and freshwater
marshes, intertidal mudflats, sandflats, sand dunes with typical dune vegetation, open grassland on sandy soils and raised areas supporting a variety of terrestrial shrubs and trees. Since Prain’s report there have been considerable changes in the status of various mangrove species and taxonomic revision of the man-grove flora.
However, very little exploration of the botanical nature of the Sundarbans has been made to keep up with these changes. Differences in vegetation have been explained in terms of freshwater and low salinity influences in the Northeast and variations in drainage and siltation. The Sundarbans has been classified as a moist tropical forest demonstrating a whole mosaic of seres, comprising primary colonization on new
accretions to more mature beach forests. Historically vegetation types have been recognized in broad correlation with varying degrees of water salinity, freshwater flushing and physiography.
Fauna
The Sundarbans provides a unique ecosystem and a rich wildlife habitat. According to the 2011 tiger census, the Sundarbans have about 270 tigers. Although previous rough estimates had suggested much higher figures close to 300, the 2011 census provided the first ever scientific estimate of tigers from the area Tiger attacks are frequent in the Sundarbans. Between 100 and 250 people are killed per year.
There is much more wildlife here than just the endangered Royal Bengal Tiger (Panthera tigris tigris). Most importantly, mangroves are a transition from the marine to freshwater and terrestrial systems, and provide critical habitat for numerous species of small fish, crabs, shrimps and other crustaceans that adapt to feed and shelter, and reproduce among the tangled mass of roots, known as pneumatophores, which grow upward from the anaerobic mud to get the supply of oxygen. Fishing Cats, Macaques, wild boars, Common Grey Mongooses, Foxes, Jungle Cats, Flying Foxes, Pangolins, and spotted deer are also found in abundance in the Sundarbans.
A 1991 study has revealed that the Bangladeshi part of the Sundarbans supports diverse biological resources including at least 150 species of commercially important fish, 270 species of birds, 42 species of mammals, 35 reptiles and 8 amphibian species. This represents a significant proportion of the species present in Bangladesh (i.e. about 30% of the reptiles, 37% the birds and 34% of the mammals) and includes a large number of species which are now extinct elsewhere in the country. Two amphibians, 14 reptiles, 25 aves and five mammals are presently endangered. The Sundarbans is an important wintering area for migrant water birds and is an area suitable for watching and studying avifauna.
The management of wildlife is presently restricted to, firstly, the protection of fauna from poaching, and, secondly, designation of some areas as wildlife sanctuaries where no extraction of forest produce is allowed and where the wildlife face few disturbances. Although the fauna of Bangladesh have diminished in recent times and the Sundarbans has not been spared from this decline, the mangrove forest retains several good wildlife habitats and their associated fauna. Of these, the tiger and dolphin are target species for planning wildlife management and tourism development. There are high profile and vulnerable mammals living in two contrasting environments, and their statuses and management are strong indicators of the general condition and management of wildlife. Some of the species are protected by legislation, notably by the Bangladesh Wildlife (Preservation) Order, 1973 (P.O. 23 of 1973)
Predators
The fertile soils of the delta have been subject to intensive human use for centuries, and the ecoregion has been mostly converted to intensive agriculture, with few enclaves of forest remaining. The remaining forests, together with the Sundarbans mangroves, are important habitats for the endangered Bengal Tiger (Panthera tigris). The forest also contains leopard (Panthera pardus fusca) and several other smaller predators such as the jungle cats (Felis chaus), fishing cats (Prionailurus viverrinus), and leopard cats (Prionailurus bengalensis).
Several predators dwell in the labyrinth of channels, branches and roots that poke up into the air.
This is the only mangrove ecoregion that harbors the Indo-Pacific region's largest predator, the Bengal Tiger. Unlike in other habitats, tigers live here and swim among the mangrove islands, where they hunt scarce prey such as the Chital deer (axis axis), Indian Muntjacs (Muntiacus muntjak), Wild boars (Sus scrofa), and even Rhesus Macaque (Macaca mulatta). It is estimated that there are now 500 Bengal tigers and about 30,000 spotted deer in the area. The tigers regularly attack and kill humans who venture into the forest, human deaths ranging from 30–100 per year.
Some of the reptiles are predators too, including two species of crocodiles, the Saltwater Crocodile (Crocodylus porosus) and Mugger crocodile (Crocodylus palustris), as well as the Gharial (Gavialis gangeticus) and the Water monitor lizards (Varanus salvator), all of which hunt on both land and water. Sharks and the Gangetic dolphins (Platanista gangetica) roam the waterways.
Avifauna
The forest is also rich in bird life, with 170 species including the endemic Brown-winged Kingfishers (Pelargopsis amauroptera) and the globally threatened Lesser Adjutants (Leptoptilos javanicus) and Masked Finfoots (Heliopais personata) and birds of prey such as the ospreys (Pandion haliaetus), White-bellied Sea Eagles (Haliaeetus leucogaster) and Grey-headed Fish-eagles (Ichthyophaga ichthyaetus). The Sundarbans was designated a Ramsar site on May 21, 1992. Some of the more popular birds found in this region are Open Billed Storks, Black-headed Ibis, Water Hens, Coots, Pheasant-tailed Jacanas, Pariah Kites, Brahminy Kites, Marsh Harriers, Swamp Partridges, Red Junglefowls, Spotted Doves, Common Mynahs, Jungle Crows, Jungle Babblers, Cotton Teals, Herring Gulls, Caspian Terns, Gray Herons, Brahminy Ducks, Spot-billed Pelicans, great Egrets, Night Herons, Common Snipes, Wood Sandpipers, Green Pigeons, Rose Ringed Parakeets, Paradise Flycatchers, Cormorants, White-bellied Sea Eagles, Seagulls, Common Kingfishers, Peregrine falcons, Woodpeckers, Whimbrels, Black-tailed Godwits, Little Stints, Eastern knots, Curlews, Golden Plovers, Pintails, White eyed pochards and Lesser Whistling Ducks
Aqua fauna
Some of the fish and amphibians found in the Sunderbans are sawfish, butter Fish, electric ray, common carp, silver carp, barb, river eels, starfish, king crab, fiddler crab, hermit crab, prawn, shrimps, Gangetic dolphins, skipping frogs, common toads and tree Frogs. One particularly interesting fish is the mudskipper, a gobioid that climbs out of the water into mudflats and even climbs trees. Reptiles
The Sundarbans National Park houses an excellent number of reptiles as well. Some of the common ones are olive ridley turtles, sea snakes, dog faced water snakes, green turtles, estuarine crocodiles, chameleons, king cobras, salvator lizards, hard shelled batgun terrapins, Russels vipers, mouse gekkos, monitor lizards, curviers, hawks bill turtles, pythons, common kraits, green vine snake, chequered killbacks and rat snakes. The river terrapin (Batagur baska), Indian flap-shelled turtles (Lissemys punctata), peacock soft-shelled turtles (Trionyx hurum), yellow monitors (Varanus flavescens), water monitors (Varanus salvator), and Indian pythons (Python molurus) are some of the resident species.
Endangered and extinct species
Forest inventories reveal a decline in standing volume of the two main commercial mangrove species — sundari (Heritiera spp.) and gewa (Excoecaria agallocha) — by 40% and 45% respectively between 1959 and 1983. Despite a total ban on all killing or capture of wildlife other than fish and some invertebrates, it appears that there is a consistent pattern of depleted biodiversity or loss of species (notably at least six mammals and one important reptile) in this century, and that the "ecological quality of the original mangrove forest is declining".
The endangered species that live within the Sundarbans and extinct species that used to be include the Royal Bengal tigers, estuarine crocodile, northern river terrapins (Batagur baska), Olive Ridley turtles, Gangetic dolphin, ground turtles, Hawks Bill Turtles and King Crabs (Horse shoe). Some species such as hog deer (Axis porcinus), water buffalos (Bubalus bubalis), Barasingha or swamp deer (Cervus duvauceli), Javan rhinoceros (Rhinoceros sondaicus), single horned rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis) and the mugger crocodiles or marsh crocodiles (Crocodylus palustris) started to become extinct in the Sundarbans towards the middle of the 20th century, due to extensive poaching and man hunting by the British. There are several other threatened mammal species, such as the capped langurs (Semnopithecus pileatus), smooth-coated otters (Lutrogale perspicillata), Oriental small-clawed otters (Aonyx cinerea), and great Bengal Civets (Viverra zibetha).
Special projects
Sundarbans National Park (India)
Sundarbans National Park is a National Park, Tiger Reserve, and a Biosphere Reserve in the Indian state of West Bengal.
Sundarbans West Wildlife Sanctuary
Sundarbans West Wildlife Sanctuary is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The region supports several mangroves, including: sparse stands of Gewa (Excoecaria agallocha) and dense stands of Goran (Ceriops tagal), with discontinuous patches of Hantal palm (Phoenix paludosa) on drier ground, river banks and levees. The fauna of the sanctuary is very diverse with some 40 species of mammals, 260 species of birds and 35 species of reptiles. The greatest of these being the Bengal Tiger of which an estimated 350 remain in the Bangladesh Sundarbans. Other large mammals are wild boar, Chital horin (spotted deer), Indian otter and macaque monkey. Five species of marine turtles frequent the coastal zone and two endangered reptiles are present – the estuarine crocodile and the Indian python.
Sundarbans East Wildlife Sanctuary
Sundarbans East Wildlife Sanctuary extends over an area of 31,227 ha. Freshwater and Sundri (Heritiera fomes) dominate, interspersed with Gewa (Excoecaria agallocha) and Passur (Xylocarpus mekongensis) with Kankra (Bruguiera gymnorrhiza) occurring in areas subject to more frequent flooding. There is an understory of Shingra (Cynometra ramiflora) where, soils are drier and Amur (Aglaia cucullata) in wetter areas and Goran (Ceriops decandra) in more saline places. Nypa palm (Nypa fruticans) is widespread along drainage lines.
Sundarbans South Wildlife Sanctuary
Sundarbans South Wildlife Sanctuary extends over an area of 36,970 ha. There is evidently the greatest seasonal variation in salinity levels and possibly represents an area of relatively longer duration of moderate salinity where Gewa (Excoecaria agallocha) is the dominant woody species. It is often mixed with Sundri, which is able to displace in circumstances such as artificially opened canopies where Sundri does not regenerate as effectively. It is also frequently associated with a dense understory of Goran (Ceriops tagal) and sometimes Passur.
How to Reach
Sunderban is accessible by air, rail and road via Kolkata & Dhaka. But, as the entire place is a network of river tributaries, you have to take boat ride to visit the remote areas of the park.
Boat is the best bet to explore the park extensively.
International Airport: Kolkata Airport: nearest airport at Kolkata, at 112 km.
Railways: Canning is nearest railhead (48 km).
Road: Road transportation is available from Kolkata for Namkhana (105-kms), Sonakhali (100-kms), Raidighi (76-kms), Canning (64-kms), and Najat (92-kms), which are all near the Sunderban and have access to the riverine waterways.
Water: Sunderban are approachable only by riverrine waterways. Motor launch facilities are available from Namkhana -
Bhagabatpur Crocodile Project- Sagar Island -Jambudwip; from Sajnekhali - Sudhanyakhali-Buridabri- Netidhopan-Holiday Island;
from Sonakhali - Gosaba; from Raidighi - Kalas.
Godkhali Port- located just opposite of Gosaba Island and Gosaba is the last inhabited islands towards Sajnekhali Wild life sanctuary and Sundarban Tiger project area of Sundarban reserve forest. The shortest route distance to Godkhali port from Kolkata is 82 km and 95 km from Kolkata airport (Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport).
Koikhali- koikhali is nearer to the Haliday wildlife sanctuary and Tourists attractions like Bonnie camp, Kalas Island and beach, Haliday Island etc. of Sundarban reserve forest. Koikhali is 83 and 92 km away from Kolkata and Kolkata airport respectively.
Namkhana- Namkhana is 117 km away from Kolkata and 123 km away from Kolkata Airport. Namkhana is also connected with railway from Kolkata and distance is 109 km. This place is closer to Bhagabatpur crocodile project and Lothian wildlife sanctuary of Sundarban.
Canning- Nearest Railway head to the Sundarban Tiger Project.Railway distance from Kolkata to Canning is 45 km and 29 km away from Godkhali Port. Public transportations are available between Canning and Godkhali port.
From Dhaka,Khulna
Safaris are available from Dhaka,Khulna . Ranging from an overnight trip to a week, and are probably the best way to experience the Sundarbans. Organizing your own trip from Munsiganj-Satkhira,Mongla or Khulna is possible (and cheaper, if you're a shrewd negotiator), but questionably worth the hassle. You need a permit from the Divisional Forest Office in Khulna. With permit in hand, it's possible to hire a boat from Mongla or Dhangmari to get you to Hiron Point. From Hiron Point you will have to hire a guide to take you into the park.
Day trips from Mongla are not very interesting, and probably better avoided. After negotiating the price of a boat down to something only slightly less ridiculous you'll most likely be taken to Karamjal Wildlife Center, where there are some tame deer to feed and some monkeys, crocs and snakes in cages. But surely you didn't come all this way to see a rundown zoo filled with depressed animals and raucous Bangladeshis. Boatmen seem to want no less than Tk 200 for the trip (locals pay Tk 50/day), and the center charges a very steep Tk 750/day entry fee for foreigners.
When to Visit
The best time to visit the Sunderbans is between September and February. The mean maximum and minimum temperature is around 340C and 200C, respectively. However the region experience high humidity and annual rainfall is between 1500 to 2500 mm. The heaviest rainfall is during the monsoon that stretches between mid Junes to mid September.
In recent years, it has been reported that international tourists seeking an adrenalin rush come during the norwester (kal baisakhi) season from April to mid May.
The delta is densely covered by mangrove forests, and is one of the largest reserves for the Bengal tiger. Sundarbans is the largest single block of tidal halophytic mangrove forest in the world. The Sundarbans is a UNESCO World Heritage Site covering parts of Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal. It is also home to a variety of bird, reptile and invertebrate species, including the salt-water crocodile. The present Sundarbans National Park was declared as the core area of Sundarbans Tiger Reserve in 1973 and a wildlife sanctuary in 1977. On May 4, 1984 it was declared a National Park.
More than two-third of the Sundarbans is in Bangladesh and the remainder is in West Bengal, India. The Sundarbans National Park is a National Park, Tiger Reserve, and a Biosphere Reserve located in the Sundarbans delta in the Indian state of West Bengal. Sundarbans South, East and West are three protected forests in Bangladesh. This region is densely covered by mangrove forests, and is one of the largest reserves for the Bengal Tiger and it is estimated that there are now 400 Royal Bengal tigers and about 30,000 spotted deer in the area.
Geography
The Sundarban forest lies in the vast delta on the Bay of Bengal formed by the super confluence of the Padma, Brahmaputra and Meghna rivers across southern Bangladesh. The seasonally flooded Sundarbans freshwater swamp forests lie inland from the mangrove forests on the coastal fringe. The forest covers 10,000 km. of which about 6,000 are in Bangladesh. It became inscribed as a UNESCO world heritage site in 1997. The Sundarbans is estimated to be about 4,110 km, of which about 1,700 km is occupied by waterbodies in the forms of river, canals and creeks of width varying from a few meters to several kilometers.
The Sundarbans is intersected by a complex network of tidal waterways, mudflats and small islands of salt-tolerant mangrove forests. The interconnected network of waterways makes almost every corner of the forest accessible by boat. The area is known for the eponymous Royal Bengal Tiger (Panthera tigris tigris), as well as numerous fauna including species of birds, spotted deer, crocodiles and snakes. The fertile soils of the delta have been subject to intensive human use for centuries, and the ecoregion has been mostly converted to intensive agriculture, with few enclaves of forest remaining. The remaining forests, taken together with the Sundarbans mangroves, are important habitat for the endangered tiger. Additionally, the Sundarbans serves a crucial function as a protective barrier for the millions of inhabitants in and around Khulna and Mongla against the floods that result from the cyclones. The Sundarbans has also been enlisted among the finalists in the New7Wonders of Nature.
Flora
A total 245 genera and 334 plant species were recorded by David Prain in 1903. While most of the mangroves in other parts of the world are characterized by members of the Rhizophoraceae, Avicenneaceae or Combretaceae, the mangroves of Bangladesh are dominated by the Malvaceae and Euphorbiaceae. Dominant flora includes:
The Sundarbans flora is characterized by the abundance of sundari (Heritiera fomes), gewa (Excoecaria agallocha), goran(Ceriops decandra) and keora (Sonneratia apetala) all of which occur prominently throughout the area. The characteristic tree of the forest is the sundari (Heritiera littoralis), from which the name of the forest had probably been derived. It yields a hard wood, used for building houses and making boats, furniture and other things. New forest accretions is often conspicuously dominated by keora (Sonneratia apetala) and tidal forests. It is an indicator species for newly accreted mudbanks and is an
important species for wildlife, especially spotted deer (Axis axis).
There is abundance of dhundul or passur (Xylocarpus granatum) and kankra (Bruguiera gymnorrhiza) though distribution is discontinuous. Among palms, Poresia coaractata, Myriostachya wightiana and golpata (Nypa fruticans), and among grasses spear grass (Imperata cylindrica) and khagra (Phragmites karka) are well distributed. The varieties of the forests that exist in Sunderbans include mangrove scrub, littoral forest, saltwater mixed forest, brackish water mixed forest and swamp forest.
Besides the forest, there are extensive areas of brackish water and freshwater
marshes, intertidal mudflats, sandflats, sand dunes with typical dune vegetation, open grassland on sandy soils and raised areas supporting a variety of terrestrial shrubs and trees. Since Prain’s report there have been considerable changes in the status of various mangrove species and taxonomic revision of the man-grove flora.
However, very little exploration of the botanical nature of the Sundarbans has been made to keep up with these changes. Differences in vegetation have been explained in terms of freshwater and low salinity influences in the Northeast and variations in drainage and siltation. The Sundarbans has been classified as a moist tropical forest demonstrating a whole mosaic of seres, comprising primary colonization on new
accretions to more mature beach forests. Historically vegetation types have been recognized in broad correlation with varying degrees of water salinity, freshwater flushing and physiography.
Fauna
The Sundarbans provides a unique ecosystem and a rich wildlife habitat. According to the 2011 tiger census, the Sundarbans have about 270 tigers. Although previous rough estimates had suggested much higher figures close to 300, the 2011 census provided the first ever scientific estimate of tigers from the area Tiger attacks are frequent in the Sundarbans. Between 100 and 250 people are killed per year.
There is much more wildlife here than just the endangered Royal Bengal Tiger (Panthera tigris tigris). Most importantly, mangroves are a transition from the marine to freshwater and terrestrial systems, and provide critical habitat for numerous species of small fish, crabs, shrimps and other crustaceans that adapt to feed and shelter, and reproduce among the tangled mass of roots, known as pneumatophores, which grow upward from the anaerobic mud to get the supply of oxygen. Fishing Cats, Macaques, wild boars, Common Grey Mongooses, Foxes, Jungle Cats, Flying Foxes, Pangolins, and spotted deer are also found in abundance in the Sundarbans.
A 1991 study has revealed that the Bangladeshi part of the Sundarbans supports diverse biological resources including at least 150 species of commercially important fish, 270 species of birds, 42 species of mammals, 35 reptiles and 8 amphibian species. This represents a significant proportion of the species present in Bangladesh (i.e. about 30% of the reptiles, 37% the birds and 34% of the mammals) and includes a large number of species which are now extinct elsewhere in the country. Two amphibians, 14 reptiles, 25 aves and five mammals are presently endangered. The Sundarbans is an important wintering area for migrant water birds and is an area suitable for watching and studying avifauna.
The management of wildlife is presently restricted to, firstly, the protection of fauna from poaching, and, secondly, designation of some areas as wildlife sanctuaries where no extraction of forest produce is allowed and where the wildlife face few disturbances. Although the fauna of Bangladesh have diminished in recent times and the Sundarbans has not been spared from this decline, the mangrove forest retains several good wildlife habitats and their associated fauna. Of these, the tiger and dolphin are target species for planning wildlife management and tourism development. There are high profile and vulnerable mammals living in two contrasting environments, and their statuses and management are strong indicators of the general condition and management of wildlife. Some of the species are protected by legislation, notably by the Bangladesh Wildlife (Preservation) Order, 1973 (P.O. 23 of 1973)
Predators
The fertile soils of the delta have been subject to intensive human use for centuries, and the ecoregion has been mostly converted to intensive agriculture, with few enclaves of forest remaining. The remaining forests, together with the Sundarbans mangroves, are important habitats for the endangered Bengal Tiger (Panthera tigris). The forest also contains leopard (Panthera pardus fusca) and several other smaller predators such as the jungle cats (Felis chaus), fishing cats (Prionailurus viverrinus), and leopard cats (Prionailurus bengalensis).
Several predators dwell in the labyrinth of channels, branches and roots that poke up into the air.
This is the only mangrove ecoregion that harbors the Indo-Pacific region's largest predator, the Bengal Tiger. Unlike in other habitats, tigers live here and swim among the mangrove islands, where they hunt scarce prey such as the Chital deer (axis axis), Indian Muntjacs (Muntiacus muntjak), Wild boars (Sus scrofa), and even Rhesus Macaque (Macaca mulatta). It is estimated that there are now 500 Bengal tigers and about 30,000 spotted deer in the area. The tigers regularly attack and kill humans who venture into the forest, human deaths ranging from 30–100 per year.
Some of the reptiles are predators too, including two species of crocodiles, the Saltwater Crocodile (Crocodylus porosus) and Mugger crocodile (Crocodylus palustris), as well as the Gharial (Gavialis gangeticus) and the Water monitor lizards (Varanus salvator), all of which hunt on both land and water. Sharks and the Gangetic dolphins (Platanista gangetica) roam the waterways.
Avifauna
The forest is also rich in bird life, with 170 species including the endemic Brown-winged Kingfishers (Pelargopsis amauroptera) and the globally threatened Lesser Adjutants (Leptoptilos javanicus) and Masked Finfoots (Heliopais personata) and birds of prey such as the ospreys (Pandion haliaetus), White-bellied Sea Eagles (Haliaeetus leucogaster) and Grey-headed Fish-eagles (Ichthyophaga ichthyaetus). The Sundarbans was designated a Ramsar site on May 21, 1992. Some of the more popular birds found in this region are Open Billed Storks, Black-headed Ibis, Water Hens, Coots, Pheasant-tailed Jacanas, Pariah Kites, Brahminy Kites, Marsh Harriers, Swamp Partridges, Red Junglefowls, Spotted Doves, Common Mynahs, Jungle Crows, Jungle Babblers, Cotton Teals, Herring Gulls, Caspian Terns, Gray Herons, Brahminy Ducks, Spot-billed Pelicans, great Egrets, Night Herons, Common Snipes, Wood Sandpipers, Green Pigeons, Rose Ringed Parakeets, Paradise Flycatchers, Cormorants, White-bellied Sea Eagles, Seagulls, Common Kingfishers, Peregrine falcons, Woodpeckers, Whimbrels, Black-tailed Godwits, Little Stints, Eastern knots, Curlews, Golden Plovers, Pintails, White eyed pochards and Lesser Whistling Ducks
Aqua fauna
Some of the fish and amphibians found in the Sunderbans are sawfish, butter Fish, electric ray, common carp, silver carp, barb, river eels, starfish, king crab, fiddler crab, hermit crab, prawn, shrimps, Gangetic dolphins, skipping frogs, common toads and tree Frogs. One particularly interesting fish is the mudskipper, a gobioid that climbs out of the water into mudflats and even climbs trees. Reptiles
The Sundarbans National Park houses an excellent number of reptiles as well. Some of the common ones are olive ridley turtles, sea snakes, dog faced water snakes, green turtles, estuarine crocodiles, chameleons, king cobras, salvator lizards, hard shelled batgun terrapins, Russels vipers, mouse gekkos, monitor lizards, curviers, hawks bill turtles, pythons, common kraits, green vine snake, chequered killbacks and rat snakes. The river terrapin (Batagur baska), Indian flap-shelled turtles (Lissemys punctata), peacock soft-shelled turtles (Trionyx hurum), yellow monitors (Varanus flavescens), water monitors (Varanus salvator), and Indian pythons (Python molurus) are some of the resident species.
Endangered and extinct species
Forest inventories reveal a decline in standing volume of the two main commercial mangrove species — sundari (Heritiera spp.) and gewa (Excoecaria agallocha) — by 40% and 45% respectively between 1959 and 1983. Despite a total ban on all killing or capture of wildlife other than fish and some invertebrates, it appears that there is a consistent pattern of depleted biodiversity or loss of species (notably at least six mammals and one important reptile) in this century, and that the "ecological quality of the original mangrove forest is declining".
The endangered species that live within the Sundarbans and extinct species that used to be include the Royal Bengal tigers, estuarine crocodile, northern river terrapins (Batagur baska), Olive Ridley turtles, Gangetic dolphin, ground turtles, Hawks Bill Turtles and King Crabs (Horse shoe). Some species such as hog deer (Axis porcinus), water buffalos (Bubalus bubalis), Barasingha or swamp deer (Cervus duvauceli), Javan rhinoceros (Rhinoceros sondaicus), single horned rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis) and the mugger crocodiles or marsh crocodiles (Crocodylus palustris) started to become extinct in the Sundarbans towards the middle of the 20th century, due to extensive poaching and man hunting by the British. There are several other threatened mammal species, such as the capped langurs (Semnopithecus pileatus), smooth-coated otters (Lutrogale perspicillata), Oriental small-clawed otters (Aonyx cinerea), and great Bengal Civets (Viverra zibetha).
Special projects
Sundarbans National Park (India)
Sundarbans National Park is a National Park, Tiger Reserve, and a Biosphere Reserve in the Indian state of West Bengal.
Sundarbans West Wildlife Sanctuary
Sundarbans West Wildlife Sanctuary is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The region supports several mangroves, including: sparse stands of Gewa (Excoecaria agallocha) and dense stands of Goran (Ceriops tagal), with discontinuous patches of Hantal palm (Phoenix paludosa) on drier ground, river banks and levees. The fauna of the sanctuary is very diverse with some 40 species of mammals, 260 species of birds and 35 species of reptiles. The greatest of these being the Bengal Tiger of which an estimated 350 remain in the Bangladesh Sundarbans. Other large mammals are wild boar, Chital horin (spotted deer), Indian otter and macaque monkey. Five species of marine turtles frequent the coastal zone and two endangered reptiles are present – the estuarine crocodile and the Indian python.
Sundarbans East Wildlife Sanctuary
Sundarbans East Wildlife Sanctuary extends over an area of 31,227 ha. Freshwater and Sundri (Heritiera fomes) dominate, interspersed with Gewa (Excoecaria agallocha) and Passur (Xylocarpus mekongensis) with Kankra (Bruguiera gymnorrhiza) occurring in areas subject to more frequent flooding. There is an understory of Shingra (Cynometra ramiflora) where, soils are drier and Amur (Aglaia cucullata) in wetter areas and Goran (Ceriops decandra) in more saline places. Nypa palm (Nypa fruticans) is widespread along drainage lines.
Sundarbans South Wildlife Sanctuary
Sundarbans South Wildlife Sanctuary extends over an area of 36,970 ha. There is evidently the greatest seasonal variation in salinity levels and possibly represents an area of relatively longer duration of moderate salinity where Gewa (Excoecaria agallocha) is the dominant woody species. It is often mixed with Sundri, which is able to displace in circumstances such as artificially opened canopies where Sundri does not regenerate as effectively. It is also frequently associated with a dense understory of Goran (Ceriops tagal) and sometimes Passur.
How to Reach
Sunderban is accessible by air, rail and road via Kolkata & Dhaka. But, as the entire place is a network of river tributaries, you have to take boat ride to visit the remote areas of the park.
Boat is the best bet to explore the park extensively.
International Airport: Kolkata Airport: nearest airport at Kolkata, at 112 km.
Railways: Canning is nearest railhead (48 km).
Road: Road transportation is available from Kolkata for Namkhana (105-kms), Sonakhali (100-kms), Raidighi (76-kms), Canning (64-kms), and Najat (92-kms), which are all near the Sunderban and have access to the riverine waterways.
Water: Sunderban are approachable only by riverrine waterways. Motor launch facilities are available from Namkhana -
Bhagabatpur Crocodile Project- Sagar Island -Jambudwip; from Sajnekhali - Sudhanyakhali-Buridabri- Netidhopan-Holiday Island;
from Sonakhali - Gosaba; from Raidighi - Kalas.
Godkhali Port- located just opposite of Gosaba Island and Gosaba is the last inhabited islands towards Sajnekhali Wild life sanctuary and Sundarban Tiger project area of Sundarban reserve forest. The shortest route distance to Godkhali port from Kolkata is 82 km and 95 km from Kolkata airport (Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport).
Koikhali- koikhali is nearer to the Haliday wildlife sanctuary and Tourists attractions like Bonnie camp, Kalas Island and beach, Haliday Island etc. of Sundarban reserve forest. Koikhali is 83 and 92 km away from Kolkata and Kolkata airport respectively.
Namkhana- Namkhana is 117 km away from Kolkata and 123 km away from Kolkata Airport. Namkhana is also connected with railway from Kolkata and distance is 109 km. This place is closer to Bhagabatpur crocodile project and Lothian wildlife sanctuary of Sundarban.
Canning- Nearest Railway head to the Sundarban Tiger Project.Railway distance from Kolkata to Canning is 45 km and 29 km away from Godkhali Port. Public transportations are available between Canning and Godkhali port.
From Dhaka,Khulna
Safaris are available from Dhaka,Khulna . Ranging from an overnight trip to a week, and are probably the best way to experience the Sundarbans. Organizing your own trip from Munsiganj-Satkhira,Mongla or Khulna is possible (and cheaper, if you're a shrewd negotiator), but questionably worth the hassle. You need a permit from the Divisional Forest Office in Khulna. With permit in hand, it's possible to hire a boat from Mongla or Dhangmari to get you to Hiron Point. From Hiron Point you will have to hire a guide to take you into the park.
Day trips from Mongla are not very interesting, and probably better avoided. After negotiating the price of a boat down to something only slightly less ridiculous you'll most likely be taken to Karamjal Wildlife Center, where there are some tame deer to feed and some monkeys, crocs and snakes in cages. But surely you didn't come all this way to see a rundown zoo filled with depressed animals and raucous Bangladeshis. Boatmen seem to want no less than Tk 200 for the trip (locals pay Tk 50/day), and the center charges a very steep Tk 750/day entry fee for foreigners.
When to Visit
The best time to visit the Sunderbans is between September and February. The mean maximum and minimum temperature is around 340C and 200C, respectively. However the region experience high humidity and annual rainfall is between 1500 to 2500 mm. The heaviest rainfall is during the monsoon that stretches between mid Junes to mid September.
In recent years, it has been reported that international tourists seeking an adrenalin rush come during the norwester (kal baisakhi) season from April to mid May.
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