The Sundarbans (Bengali: সুন্দরবন Shundorbôn), is the largest single block of tidal halophytic mangrove forest in the world; lies at the mouth of the Ganges & is spread across areas of Bangladesh & West Bengal, India, forming the seaward fringe of the delta. The forest covers 10,000 sqkm of which about 6,000 are in Bangladesh. It got inscripted as a UNESCO world heritage site in 1997. The Sundarbans is intersected by a complex network of tidal waterways, mudflats & small islands of salt-tolerant mangrove forests. The area is known for the eponymous Royal Bengal Tiger, as well as numerous fauna including species of birds, spotted deer, crocodiles & snakes. It is estimated that there are now 500 Bengal tigers & about 30,000 spotted deer in the area.
The Sundarbans is inhospitable, dangerous & monotonous. Dense mangrove forests occupy 56 islands & the balance is under saline water which flows through numerous tidal channels & creeks. It is difficult to approach & even more difficult to spend time in. But for those who dare, it must be one of the most attractive & alluring places remaining on earth.
Due to the loss of its natural habitat & poaching, the national symbol of Bangladesh, the royal Bengal tiger, is in danger of extinction. It is estimated there are less than 400 royal Bengal tigers roaming the Bangladeshi Sundarbans.
The water level of the Bay of Bengal has been rising over the years. Dams and barrages that are being built north of the Sundarbans in India have decreased fresh water levels, which has killed some types of vegetation.
Illegal logging is on the increase, the mangroves are partially in the district of Khulna, which is also the site of a govt paper mill. The factory relies on nearby legal timber supplies, but with the Sundarbans so close, illegal loggers have been making forays into the inner regions of the forest, cashing in on millions of dollars worth of stolen wood. Tourism is the most recent problem for the Sundarbans, as the beauty of the area is advertised around the world, more & more travelers arrive in large tour boats.
snake of SundarbanThe Sundarbans is very rich in wildlife & also filled with Sundari trees. But this mangrove forest is under threat, & also cyclone sidr damaged a large portion of this forest. Experts fear that much of nearly 40 species of mammals, some 400 species of birds and more than 200 species of fishes fell victim to the calamity
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