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Sundarbans National Park

Sundarban is a complex ecosystem comprising one of the three largest single tracts of mangrove forests of the world. It has a total land area of 4,143 kilometer squares and water area of 1,874 kilometer squares.

Ecoregions:

Sundarban freshwater swamp forests are tropical moist broadleaf forest eco-region of Bangladesh. It lies behind the Sundarban mangroves. It covers an area of 14,600 kilometer square of the vast Ganges-Brahmaputra delta.

Sundarban mangrove: It is the world’s largest mangrove ecosystem that covers an area of 20,400 square kilometer. The dominant mangrove trees of this region are known as sundry or sundari.

Climate change impact:

Various factors like erosions, accretion, cyclonic actions, shore currents helps to the physical developments of the forest. During each monsoon season the entire delta is submerged. The people living on the Ganges delta will be the threat of rising sea levels caused mostly by subsidence in the region and partly by climate change.

Flora:

In 1903, a total 245 genera and 334 plant species was recorded by David Prain. The Sundarbans flora is characterized by the abundance of sundari, gewa, goran and korea. The sundari concedes a hard wood, used for building houses, and making boats, furniture and other things.

Mangrove scrub, littoral forest, saltwater mixed forest, brackish water mixed forest and swamp forest can be found in Sunderban. Apart from the forest, there are extensive areas of brackish water freshwater marshes, inter-tidal mudflats, sand flats, sand dunes, open grassland on sandy soils.

Mangrove:

Sundarban has twenty-six of the fifty mangrove types. Salt water mixed forest, mangrove scrub, brackish water mixed forest, littoral forest, wet forest and wet alluvial grass forests are the common vegetations in Sundarban.

Fauna:

The Sunderban is rich of wild habitants and have a unique ecosystem. According to 2001 tiger census, the forest has about 270 tigers, including more endangered Royal Bengal Tiger. Small fish, crabs, shrimps, and other crustaceans known as pneumatophores are grow upward from the anaerobic mud to get the supply the oxygen.

A 1991 study showed that the Bangladeshi part of the Sudarban supports a various kinds of biological resources including at least 150 species of commercially important fishes, 270 species of birds, 42 species of mammals, 35 reptiles and 8 amphibian species. Therefore 2 amphibians, 14 reptiles, 25 aves and 5 mammals are presently endangered. 

Predators:

The Sundaran mangroves are important inhabitants for the endangered Bengal Tiger, Leopard, and several other smaller predators like jungle cats, fishing cats, and leopard cats. An about of 500 Bengal Tigers and 3000 Spotted Deer is in the forest.

Avifauna:

The Sundarban houses a large variety of birds like the endemic Brown-winged Kingfisher, globally threatened Lasser Adjutants, Masked Finfoots, Ospreys, White-bellied Sea Eagles, and Grey-headed Fish Eagles.

Aquafauna:

Sawfish, butter ray, common carp, king crab, common toads, tree frogs, starfish, river Eels, barb, silver carp, prawn, Gangetic dolphins, skipping frogs, shrimps and many other fish and amphibians are found in the Sundarban.

Reptiles:

Some common reptiles found in the Sundarban National Park are Olive Ridley turtles, sea snakes, dog faced water snakes, green turtles, Estuarine crocodiles, Chameleons, King Cobras, Pythons, rat Snakes, Hawks Bill Turtles, peacock soft-shelled, yellow monitors and many other resident species.

Endangered and extinct species:

Sundari and gewa, the two main commercial mangrove species have declined over the years and is endangered. The Royal Bengal Tigers, Estuarine Crocodile, Northern River terrapins, Olive Ridley Turtles, Gangetic dolphins, Ground Turtles, Hawks Bill Turtles and King Crabs are extinct species that marked as endangered in the Sundarban.

Habitation:

The Sundarban has a population of over 4 million. Much of this population is free of permanent human habitation. According to Overseas Development Administrations, it retained a forest enclosure of about 70%.

Protection:

The Bangladesh division of the Sundarban lies under two forest divisions and four administrative ranges. There are three wildlife sanctuaries under Bangladesh Wildlife. The protected area covers 15% of the Sundarban mangroves.

Midnight Children, Salman Rushdie’s Booker Prize winning novel is written on the plot of the Sundarban. Kunal Basu’s short story The Japanese Wife and the subsequent film adaption are adopted from the Sundarban.

How to Reach:

Sunderbans can be easily accessed from Kolkata. One can either take the South East route or take the South West route. The South west route passes through Diamond Harbour. However, the convenient route is the South East route. You have to drive 86 kms to reach Sonakhali and then take a boatride to reach Sajnekhali. Your destination starts from this place.

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