The Sundarbans Bangladesh

The Sundarbans Bangladesh

Short Report

The Sundarbans mangrove forest, one of the largest of these forests in the world (140,000 ha), is located on the delta of the Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghna rivers in the Bay of Bengal. It is adjacent to the border of India's Sundarbans World Heritage site registered in 1987. The site is intersected by a complex network of tidal waterways, mudflats and small islands of salt-tolerant mangrove forests, and is an excellent example of the current ecological processes. The area is known for its large variety of fauna, including 260 bird species, the Bengali tiger and other endangered species such as the estuarine crocodile and the Indian python.

Wide Report

The Sundarbans consists of three wildlife sanctuaries (Sundarbans West, east and south) are disjunct deltaic margins islands just west of the large outflow of the Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghna river, close to the border with India. The sanctuaries intersected by a complex network of tidal waterways, mudflat hiking and the small islands of salt tolerant mangrove forests. The area is awash with brackish water during high tide which mix with fresh water from the rivers. The larger channels often a mile or two wide and generally in a north-south direction. Rivers are usually long and right, a consequence of the strong tidal forces and the easily affected clay and silt deposits from. But apart from Baleswar River inland waterway transport little fresh water if they are cut off from the Ganges, the outflow of that has shifted from the east gradually Hooghly-Bhagirathi channels in India since the 17th century. They are open remain largely by the diurnal tidal flow. Alluvial deposits are geologically very recent and deep. The soil is a clay loam with alternating layers clay, sludge and sand. The surface is clay except seawards of the islands in the coastal areas, where sandy beaches. The monsoon rains, floods, delta formation, and tidal influence in the Sundarbans combine for a dynamic landscape that constantly changes. Sand collection at the estuary and form banks and characters, which blown in the dunes by the strong south-westerly monsoon winds. Finer silts are washed in the Bay of Bengal where they mudflat hiking in the shadows of the dunes. These are overlain with sand of the dunes and salt marshes in centers.

Because of the dominance of salty conditions, the forest flora in the western Sundarbans is not as varied as in the east. Forest areas are dominated by a few species usually Sundri and Gewu and patches of Nypa palm and some other of the 27 species that are found in the Sundarbans mangrove swamps. The property is the only remaining habitat in the lower Bengal Basin for a variety of faunal species. The presence of 49 mammals have been documented. These are not less than five spectacular species rhinoceros Javan region, water buffalo, swamp deer, gaur and probably hog deer are locally extirpated since the beginning of the 21st century.

The Sundarbans of Bangladesh and India one of the largest populations of Royal Bengal Tiger with an estimated 350 people. Other mammals are spotted deer, wild boar, three types of wild cat and Ganges River dolphin, that can occur in some of the larger rivers. Of the three species of otter, smooth coated otter is domesticated by fishermen and used to fish in their nets. Approximately 53 reptile species and eight amphibian species are included in this mugger crocodile is now extinct, probably as a result of previous overfishing, although it still occurs in at least one area. Estuarine crocodile still survives but his songs are strongly depleted by hunt and capture of skins. Four species of marine turtles are listed in the area. The varied and colorful birds to see along the waterways is one of the Sundarbans' biggest attractions. There are approximately 315 species of waterfowl, raptors and forest birds, including nine types of kingfisher and the beautiful white-in sea eagle.

Historical Data

All three wildlife sanctuaries are established in 1977 under the Bangladesh Wildlife (Preservation) (Amendment) Act, 1974, after set veterinary surveillance zones forest reserves in 1878. The total area of wildlife sanctuaries was extended in 1996. The entire Sundarbans reserved forest, set in the context of the Indian Forest Act, 1878.

Source:whc/unesco