Site Location Sundarbans, west Bengal, India

Contents About site

History

People and Culture

Tigers

Climate

Other

Bibliography

About Sundarban Sundarban, the largest delta in the world, consists of 10,200 sq km of Mangrove Forest , spread over India (4200 sq km of Reserved Forest ) and Bangladesh (6000 sq km approx. of Reserved Forest ) and is also the largest Mangrove Forest in the world. Another 5400 sq km of non-forest, inhabited region in India , along the north and north-western fringe of mangrove forest, is also known as Sundarban region in India . Hence, the total area of Sundarban region in India is 9600 sq km which constitutes the Sundarban Biosphere Reserve. Indian Sundarban is bound on the west by river Muriganga and on the east by rivers Harinbhahga and Raimangal. Other major rivers flowing through this eco-system are Saptamukhi, Thakuran, Matla and Goasaba.

Images Of Site

Sundarban marked in India

Sundarban

Location sundarban. Coordinates (22°54 30″S 43°11 47″W.)′ ′

People and CultureDuring post-independence period, this region witnessed sudden influx of population mainly due to migration. The displaced persons forcibly occupied vested lands and cleared forests for habitation. Several such colonies sprung up in this manner. It exerted negative impact on the economy of fringe population. In Sundarban, 36.5% of the population belongs to SC/ST as compared to the State average of 25.61%. Nearly 95% of the population primarily depend on agriculture, which is mostly rain-fed mono-cropping, and about fifty percent of agriculturists are landless laborers.

Backwardness of the region and almost complete dependence of the people on the natural resources of mangrove ecosystem can be attributed to the following factors:-

1) Uncontrolled population growth with low income level (Population increased from 1.2 million in 1951 to 3.9 million in 2001)

2) Lack of major industries and large scale employment opportunities 3) Lack of irrigation facility leading to rain-fed, mono-cropped agriculture 4) Loss of productivity of potential cultivable land due to large scale expansion

of aquaculture/ prawn farming 5) Lack of organized transport and communication facility 6) Absence of Electricity supply in most of the islands 7) Lack of medical facility, public health care and proper sanitary facilities8) Occasional devastations by cyclonic storm.

Sundarban Biosphere Reserve was constituted by Government of India (GOI)in 1989 and it received the recognition of UNESCO under its Man and Biosphere (MAB) Program in November, 2001. Sundarban National Park , forming the core area of Sundarban Tiger Reserve, received recognition as World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1987. It has been nominated by GOI for recognition as Ramsar Site (a wetland of international importance). 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. Sundarban Tiger Reserve has the highest tiger population in the world.

History

Tiger attacks in the Sundarbans, in India and Bangladesh are estimated to kill from 0-50 (mean of 22.7 between 1947 and 1983) people per year. The Sundarbans is home to over 100 Bengal tigers, one of the largest single populations of tigers in one area. Before modern times, Sundarbans were said to "regularly kill fifty or sixty people a year".These tigers are a little smaller and slimmer than those elsewhere in India but remain extremely powerful and are infamous for destroying small wooden boats. They are not the only tigers who live close to humans; in Bandhavgarh, villages encircle the tiger reserves, and yet attacks on people are rare.

About 5,000 people frequent the swamps and waterways of the Sundarbans. Fishing boats traverse the area and many stop to collect firewood, honey and other items. In the dark forest, tigers find it easy to stalk and attack men absorbed in their work. Even fishermen in small boats have been attacked due to tigers' strong swimming abilities.

Sundarban Tigers

Source:- Internet

ClimateAlthough the region is situated south of the Tropic of Cancer, the temperature is equable due to its proximity to the sea. Average annual maximum temperature is around 35 C . Average annual rainfall is 1920 mm. Average humidity is about 82% which is more or less uniform throughout the year.

Geologically, the Sundarban delta is the largest prograding delta on the globe. The region is covered solely by quaternary sediments carried and deposited by the rivers Ganges , Matla & Bidyadhari. 

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.

Geological Conditions

The entry point to Sunderban Tiger Reserve is either Sonakhali via Canning, or Bagna via Dhamakhali. For visiting South 24 Parganas Forest Division, on the western part of river Matla, the entry points are Namkhana, Raidighi or Jharkhali via Canning/Basanti.. Entry Permits are available at Canning, Sonakhali and Bagna for STR and at Canning, Namkhana and Raidighi for Western part of Sunderban Forest .

How to reach?

Why Sundarban? Risk of tigers and Wild animals

Underdeveloped place

Less materials available

Topography (mangrove)

Beautiful place

Unexplored and untouched

Bibliographyhttp://www.sundarbanbiosphere.org/html_files/eco_tourism.htm

http://www.treehugger.com/

http://www.loc.gov/acq/ovop/rio/rio-about.html

http://www.architecturaldigest.com/story/rio-de-janeiro-architecture-tour-blog

Thank You