Sunderbans Tiger Reserve, India

About Sundarbans

1. Sunderbans Tiger Reserve - Study of mangrove forest management and tiger census Ashok Kumar JP Roll No : 43

2. Sundarban National Park received recognition as World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1987. Sundarban Biosphere Reserve received the recognition of UNESCO under its Man and Biosphere (MAB) Programme in November, 2001 . Sundarban Tiger Reserve was constituted by GOI under Project Tiger scheme, in 1973. Sundarban is the only mangrove forest in the world which is the home of Tiger.

3. Sunderbans national park is located at the South Eastern tip of the Paraganas district in the state of West Bengal. mangrove plants known as Sundari ( Heritiera Minor ). Part of the world's largest delta formed by the rivers Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghna .  

4. Apart from the tiger , a rich array of biodiversity values both floral and faunal. The total area of the Indian part of the Sundarban forest, lying within the latitude between 21°13'-22°40' North and longitude 88°05'-89°06' East, is about 4,262 sq km, of which 2,125 sq km is occupied by mangrove forest across 56 islands and the balance is under water .

5. The main attractions of the Sunderbans are the Tiger and the reptiles like the Monitor Lizard, Estuarine Crocodile and the Olive Ridley Turtle etc. The Leopard, Indian Rhinoceros, Javan Rhinoceros, Swamp Deer, Hog Deer and Water Buffalo have all become locally extinct from the delta in recent decades

6. Best Season: The best time to visit Sunderbans is during winters between December and February . Even migratory birds could be seen at that time. Access( Sunderban National Park) : The Sunderbans are not easily accessible. To get to the Sunderbans national park in India the nearest airport is kolkatta , the nearest railway station is Canning, and the nearest town is Gosaba .

7. Wild Animals in Sunderban National Park Royal Bengal Tiger( Panthera tigris ) population in the Sundarbans is estimated to be 76 (62 to 96 ) according to Status of Tiger in India 2014 report. Sundarbans also harbours a good number of rare and globally threatened animals including Estuarine Crocodile ( Crocodilus porosus ), Fishing Cat ( Felis viverrina ), Common otter ( Lutra lutra ), Water Monitor lizard ( Varanus salvator ), Gangetic Dolphin ( Platinista gangetica ), River Terrapin ( Batagur baska ).

8. Marine turtles like Olive Ridley ( Lepidochelys olivacea ), Green Sea Turtle ( Chelonia mydas ), Hawksbill Turtle ( Eritmochelys imbricata ).

9. Six species of Shark and Ray , are found here, are included in Schedule I of Wildlife (Protection) Act to indicate that Sundarban Reserved Forest is a natural biodiversity hot spot . Other mammals comprise of Wild boars, Spotted deer, Porcupines and Rhesus macaque. Among the Snakes, the King cobra, the common cobra, Banded krait, Russells Viper comprise the community of venomous reptiles, while the Python, Chequered Kil -Back, Dhaman , Green Whip Snake and several other species constitute the non-venomous snakes.

10. Birds There are about 248 bird species found

11. Important Places in Sunderban Sajnekhali Watch Tower Sudhanyakhali Watch Tower Do Ban Ki Watch Tower Netidhopani Watch Tower Bhagatpur Crocodile Project Piyali Halliday Island Kanak

12. Objectives of Management Restoration of the unique mangrove ecosystem of Sundarbans and conservation of its biodiversity.  Development of sustainable economic, social activities of the population living in the Biosphere Reserve.  Facilitating research, monitoring, education and training to perpetuate the achievements made.

13. JFM 52 FPCs and 14 EDCs have been registered in Sundarban . They participate in protection of the forests against exploitations . Efforts is to create "alternate livelihood options " for the target groups and dilute the biotic pressure on the ecologically fragile mangrove ecosystem . Development funds for the forest fringe villages, for creating resources through the process of Micro-level Planning and participatory implementation . Socio-economic and natural resource survey of the region shows that sweet water for irrigation and drinking purpose is a highly scarce commodity .

14. Since the region is blessed with moderately high and well-distributed rainfall , conservation of the rainwater receives the topmost priority. Availability of irrigation water during dry months can convert the mono-cropped areas into multi-cropped ones . Therefore , construction of irrigation canals and ponds constitute important components of Eco-development activities . The sweet water ponds and canals can also be simultaneously used for fresh water aqua-culture to generate additional income .

15. Vocational training and input in cottage industries, apiculture, mushroom cultivation, floriculture etc to make the forest-dependent people more self-sufficient . Efforts have been made to encourage the poorer section of the people to form Self-Help Groups (SHG) to avail of bank loans to start their own ventures/trades . The FPC/EDC members are being encouraged to create Community Fund, through their contributions which will help to sustain the development activities in the villages even after the withdrawal of the Fund from various schemes.

16. Threats Poaching of wildlife and illegal felling of timber are among the most severe environmental threats. Industrial development in the region and opening up of access to trade have also imposed increased demands on forest resources, particularly timber.  

17. The growing barge traffic and lax environmental enforcement have also led to a number of oil spills which continue to adversely impact the ecosystem. Experts in climate change predict that extreme weather, along with just a 45 cm rise in sea level would submerge 75 per cent of the Sunderbans .

18. Meanwhile in Dhaka

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