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Contents

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Subject

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Page No.
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Introduction---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1
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Our Team------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3
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Aims & Objective--------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4

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Methodology-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4
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Our Observation--------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6

Mammals---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6

Birds---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7

Reptiles---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11

Amphibia----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11

Fishes------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 12

Arthropoda------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 12

Sunderban Biosphere Reserve – a World Heritage Site------------------------------- 13

Physiography---------------------------------------------------------------
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Soil Types & Salinity--------------------------------------------------------------- 13

Climate--------------------------------------------------------------
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Biodiversity of Sunderban-------------------------------------------------------------- 14

Floral Diversity & Distribution-------------------------------------------------------------- 16

Faunal Diversity-------------------------------------------------------------- 17

Threats of Biodiversity----------------------------------------------------------------------- 20

Local Culture of Sunderban---------------------------------------------------------------- 21

Documentary about Sunderban---------------------------------------------------------- 21

Conclusion------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 21
 Acknowledgement--------------------------------------------------------------------------- 23

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Excursion is stair towards enhancement of our knowledge about and
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our ature.The ter is derived fro Lati ord excuro’ hich ea s
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to run out’ From childhood till now our knowledge get confined in the
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pages of book. Excursion helps us to fly in nature, accumulate practical

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knowledge and strong our theoritical knowledge. Zoology is the

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scientific study of animals, including how they behave, reproduce,

evolve, and interact with other species and their environment. By
understanding how animals work,we must have to go field & observe
them. To enter a zoological scientific community a student have to
learn how the classical way of the subject works. College excursion is a
little step towards this. It give us a lot of learn,thought & many more
eg; Socialization,Exposure,Curiosity.Actually an educational tour is how
uch e eficial to a stude t ca ’t easure. Here I a t to otify so e
point about this:-
New sights - Students may have the opportunity to observe many
things that are not available at college.They introduced to the real
world of their subject.
Bonding - Getting away from the everyday atmosphere of the
classroom gives students an opportunity to spend time with each other
in a new environment & make a unbreakable bonding.
It also gives us classroom supplement, informal learning environment,
break from the routine, creates an interest in subjective professions,
real-world experience, connection to community.
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We chose our destination as Sunderban because the Sundarbans is the

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largest single block of tidal halophytic mangrove forest in the world.

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Additionally the Sunderbans is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The

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beautiful forests of Sunderbans embracing mysterious tracts of
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wilderness are located in the lower Ganga delta of Bengal. The
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mangrove forests and the overall ecosystem in Sunder bans are the
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ideal habitats for large group of terrestrial, avian and aquatic fauna,
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starting from Protozoa to Mammals. It contains the richest biodiversity

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among the inter-tidal forest in the worlds and is the only natural
mangrove forest in the world, where the tiger (Panthera tigris tigris L.)
resides. The dense mangrove forests are one of the largest reserves for
the Bengal tiger. The reason for high faunal diversity is the fact that
here the ocean and land comes in contact of each other. The
succession from ocean to land and to fresh water/ brackish-water
through estuaries, change in water salinity from almost nil to high
through grades of different concentration; newly formed islands with
soft swampy mud to mature old islands with hard saline banks provides
fascinating habitat opportunities to various organism. The present
Sundarbans National Park was declared as the core area of Sundarbans
Tiger Reserve in 1973 and a wildlife sanctuary in 1977. On May 4, 1984
it was declared a National Park. The name Sundarban can be literally
translated as "beautiful forest" in the Bengali language (Shundor,
"beautiful"and bon, "forest"). The name may have been derived from
the Sundari trees that are found in Sundarbans in large numbers. Really
Sunderban was marvelous;we spent just 3 days but it will be a life-long
experience. Although we are able to see a very little portion of the
total biodiversity but the rich biodiversity was enough to amaze new
comers zoologist of Burdwan Raj College.
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1. Professor,Team Leader & Guardian :-
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a. Dr. Apurba Kr. Chattopadhya

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b. Dr. Jagabandhu Nandi

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2. Widllife Photographer :- Mr. Siddhartha Goswami

3. Tour Operator :- Soven Sarkar
4. Local guide :- Bibhas Halder
5. Students :- a. Sujit Roy b. Md. Shariful Islam
c. Sharmistha Middya d. Ayan Mondal
e. Kushankur Bhattachryya f. Sayantani Sinha
g. Aparna Choudhury h.Bratati Mukherjee
i.Debprasad Dutta j. Pusparghya Sutradhar
k. Jayashri Das l. Haque Tawasom Iasmin
m. Rumi Pradhan n. Bithika Mondal
o. Souvick Mukherjee p. Shanta Pramanik
q. Sulagna Mukherjee r. Mou Sarkar
s. Pritha Biswas t. Dip Biswas
u. Debangshu Banerjee v. Anushri Das
w. Mousumi Panja
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Objetive of excursion is to make ourselves more and more familiar
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with wild varities about which we get a theoritcal knowledge through
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books.We worked as groups to understand the characteristics of a rich

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biodiversity, studying the ecology of Sundarban really helped us in that

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area.
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The objectives that we had in mind for this field trip were:--
1. To discover the uniqueness of mangrove forests in Sundarban
2. To see the functions of the Sundarban ecosystem
3. To study the adaptive features of some species
4. To understand the importance of saving the remaining mangrove
ecosystem in Sundarban
5. To analyze the conservation work being carried out in Sundarban
Excursion actually equip us with knowledge of ecosystem and
biodiversity practically, there biotic and abiotic components and
process of their inter-relation.
Thus by playing a dual role in education & enjoyment, it enhances the
interest of knowledge, collection & knowing about organisms which we
do not get much interest theoretically.

The methodology used in order to achieve our objectives:--

1. Observational skills
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2. Communication with locals,launch workers and guides.

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3. Photography

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4. Secondary source: Internet, for information

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Sunderban contains are high profile and vulnerable flora & fauna
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diversity,their statuses and management are strong indicators of the
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general condition and management of wildlife. Hence it is a protected

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area under wildlife protection law of India govt. So were unable to

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collect any zoological specimen from here.

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The core area is free from all human disturbances like collection of
wood, honey, fishing and other forest produces. However, in the buffer
area fishing, honey collection and wood cutting are permitted in
limited form. Protection of the park from poaching and theft of forest
products is done by well armed forest staff who patrol in motorboats
and launches. Forest offices and camps are located at several
important parts of the park.
We visited Eco-cultural museum of Sajnekhali,some important tiger
watching camp & other time spent by watching natural beauty of the
amazing Sunderban from our launch. Camera,Binocular & notebook
were our main equipment of observation & documentation.
There were no permission to stay night at river,so it was our limitation
to observe nocturnal fauna. At the limited time of 3 day sum total we
picked more than 5000 picture of natural beauty & wildlife.Our camera
was alltime busy to take new shots.
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We have observed a lot of organism, but unfortunately missed the
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Royal-Be gal Tiger. Although it’s see to lucky e ough to see it o it’s
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natural habitat,as because special type of landscape of sunderban.

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Here I am giving now a short description of our observed organisms –

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Mammals
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Spotted deer/Chital Deer (Axis axis) IUCN Status :- LC

•The chital or cheetal (Axis axis), also known as chital deer, spotted deer or axis deer is a
deer which commonly inhabits wooded regions of Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan,
India, and in small numbers in Pakistan.

•The western limt of its range is eastern Rajasthan and Gujarat. The northern limit is
along the bhabar-terai belt of the foothills of the Himalaya and from Uttar Pradesh and
Uttaranchal through to Nepal, northern West Bengal and Sikkim and then to western
Assam and the forested valleys of Bhutan which are below 1,100 m asl.The eastern limit
of its ranges is through western Assam to the Sunderbans of West Bengal (India) and
Bangladesh.

Wild boar (Sus scrofa) IUCN Status :- LC

•Wild boar (Sus scrofa), also known as wild pig, is a species of the pig genus Sus, part of
the biological family Suidae. The species includes many subspecies. It is the wild ancestor
of the domestic pig, an animal with which it freely hybridises.

•Wild boar were originally found in North Africa and much of Eurasia; from the British
Isles to Korea and the Sunda Islands. The northern limit of its range extended from
southern Scandinavia to southern Siberia and Japan. Within this range it was absent in
extremely dry deserts and alpine zones.

Rhesus macaque (Macaca mulatta) IUCN Status :- LC

•The rhesus macaque (Macaca mulatta), also called the rhesus monkey, is one of the
best-known species of Old World monkeys. It is listed as Least Concern in the IUCN Red
List of Threatened Species in view of its wide distribution, presumed large population,
and its tolerance of a broad range of habitats.

•Native to South, Central and Southeast Asia, troops of Macaca mulatta inhabit a great
variety of habitats from grasslands to arid and forested areas, but also close to human
settlements.
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Indian palm squirrel (Funambulus palmarum) IUCN Status :- LC

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•The Indian palm squirrel (Funambulus palmarum) also known as three-striped palm
squirrel, is a species of rodent in the Sciuridae family

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•It is found naturally in India (south of the Vindhyas) and Sri Lanka. In the late 19th

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century, the Palm squirrel was introduced into Western Australia,
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Birds
Whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus) IUCN Satus :- LC
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•The Whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus) is a wader in the large family Scolopacidae. It is

one of the most widespread of the curlews, breeding across much of subarctic North
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America, Europe and Asia as far south as Scotland.

•This is a migratory species wintering on coasts in Africa, South America, south Asia into
Australasia and southern North America. It is also a coastal bird during migration.[2] It is
fairly gregarious outside the breeding season.

Lesser Adjutant (Leptoptilos javanicus) IUCN Status :- VU

•The Lesser Adjutant (Leptoptilos javanicus) is a large wading bird in the stork family
Ciconiidae. Like other members of its genus, it has a bare neck and head. It is however
more closely associated with wetland habitats where it is solitary and is less likely to
scavenge

•The Lesser Adjutant tends to be widely dispersed and is very local. It is often found in
large rivers and lakes inside well wooded regions. It is found in India, Nepal,[8] Sri Lanka,
Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Laos, Singapore,[9] Indonesia and
Cambodia. The largest population is in India in the eastern states of Assam, West Bengal
and Bihar.

Wood Sandpiper (Tringa glareola) IUCN Status :- LC

•The Wood Sandpiper (Tringa glareola) is a small wader. This Eurasian species is the
smallest of the shanks, which are mid-sized long-legged waders of the family
Scolopacidae.

•The Wood Sandpiper breeds in subarctic wetlands from the Scottish Highlands across
Europe and Asia. They migrate to Africa and southern Asia, particularly India.

Eurasian Curlew (Numenius arquata) IUCN Status :- NT

•The Eurasian Curlew (Numenius arquata) is a wader in the large family Scolopacidae. It is
one of the most widespread of the curlews, breeding across temperate Europe and Asia.
In Europe, this species is often referred to just as "the Curlew"

•This is a migratory species over most of its range, wintering in Africa, southern Europe
and south Asia. Occasionally, a vagrant individual reaches places far away from its normal
range, such as Nova Scotia or the Marianas.
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Pied Kingfisher(Ceryle rudis) IUCN Status :- LC

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•This kingfisher is about 17 cm long and is white with a black mask, a white supercilium
and black breast bands. The crest is neat and the upperparts are barred in black.

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•It is common throughout sub-Saharan Africa and southern Asia from Turkey to India to

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China. It is resident, and most birds do not migrate.
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Brown-winged Kingfisher (Pelargopsis amauroptera) IUCN Status :- NT
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•The Brown-winged Kingfisher (Pelargopsis amauroptera) is a species of bird in the

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Alcedinidae family. It is found in Bangladesh, India, Malaysia, Myanmar, and Thailand. Its
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natural habitat is subtropical or tropical mangrove forests.

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•In India, it has been mainly reported from the Sundarbans region but records from
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further south near Chilka exist

Black-capped Kingfisher (Halcyon pileata) IUCN Status :- LC

•This is a large kingfisher, 28 cm in length. The adult has a purple-blue back, black head
and shoulders, white neck collar and throat, and rufous underparts. The large bill and
legs are bright red. In flight, large white patches are visible on the blue and black wings.

•It is widely distributed in tropical Asia from India east to China, Korea and Southeast
Asia. This most northerly of the Halcyonidae is resident over much of its range, but
northern populations are migratory and the wintering range extends to Sri Lanka,
Thailand, Borneo and Java.

Collared Kingfisher (Todiramphus chloris) IUCN Status :- LC

•The Collared Kingfisher (Todiramphus chloris) is a medium-sized kingfisher belonging

to the family Halcyonidae, the tree kingfishers. It is also known as the White-collared
Kingfisher or Mangrove Kingfisher.

•It has a wide range extending from the Red Sea across southern Asia and Australasia
to Polynesia. It is a very variable species with about 50 subspecies.

Brahminy Kite (Haliastur indus) IUCN Status :- LC

•The Brahminy Kite (Haliastur indus) also known as the Red-backed Sea-eagle in
Australia, is a medium-sized bird of prey in the family Accipitridae, which also includes
many other diurnal raptors such as eagles, buzzards and harriers.

•They are found in the Indian subcontinent, Southeast Asia and Australia. They are
found mainly on the coast and in inland wetlands where they feed on dead fish and
other prey.
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White-throated Kingfisher (Halcyon smyrnensis) IUCN Status :- LC

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•This is a large kingfisher, 28 cm in length. The adult has a bright blue back, wings and
tail. Its head, shoulders, flanks and lower belly are chestnut, and the throat and breast

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are white. The large bill and legs are bright red.

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•It distributed in Eurasia from Bulgaria,[3] Turkey, east through South Asia to the
AyPhilippines. This kingfisher is a resident over much of its range, although some
populations may make short distance movements.
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Green Bee-eater (Merops orientalis) IUCN Status :- LC

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•The Green Bee-eater (Merops orientalis) (sometimes Little Green Bee-eater) is a near
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passerine bird in the bee-eater family.

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•It is resident but prone to seasonal movements and is found widely distributed across
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sub-Saharan Africa from Senegal and The Gambia to Ethiopia, the Nile valley, western
Arabia and Asia through India to Vietnam.

Great Egret (Ardea alba) IUCN Status :- LC

•The Great Egret is a large heron with all-white plumage.

•Distributed across most of the tropical and warmer temperate regions of the world, in
southern Europe it is rather localized. In North America it is more widely distributed, and
it is ubiquitous across the Sun Belt of the United States and in the rainforests of South
America.

Little Egret (Egretta garzetta) IUCN Status :- LC

•It is a small white heron. It is the Old World counterpart to the very similar New World
Snowy Egret.

•Its breeding distribution is in wetlands in warm temperate to tropical parts of Europe,

Africa, Asia, and Australia. In warmer locations, most birds are permanent residents;
northern populations, including many European birds, migrate to Africa and southern
Asia.

Little Cormorant (Microcarbo niger) IUCN Status :- LC

•It is a member of the Cormorant family of seabirds. Slightly smaller than the Indian
Cormorant it lacks a peaked head and has a shorter beak.

•The Little Cormorant is found across India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and lowland Nepal.
They are also found in parts of Burma, Thailand, Laos, Indonesia. It is not found in the
Himalayas but vagrants have been seen in Ladakh

White-breasted Waterhen (Amaurornis phoenicurus) IUCN Status :- LC

•They are dark slaty birds with a clean white face, breast and belly. They are somewhat
bolder than most other rails and are often seen stepping slowly with their tail cocked
upright in open marshes or even drains near busy roads.
•It is a waterbird of the rail and crake family Rallidae that is widely distributed across
Southeast Asia and the Indian Subcontinent.
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House Crow (Corvus splendens) IUCN Status :- LC

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•It is a common bird of the Crow family that is of Asian origin but now found in many parts
of the world.

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•It has a widespread distribution in southern Asia.

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House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) IUCN Status :- LC
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•The male is duller in fresh non-breeding plumage, with whitish tips on many feathers.
Wear and preening expose many of the bright brown and black markings.The female has
no black markings or grey crown.
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•The House Sparrow originated in the Middle East and spread, along with agriculture, to
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most of Eurasia and parts of North Africa.

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Common Myna (Acridotheres tristis) IUCN Status :- LC

•It is a member of the family Sturnidae (starlings and mynas) native to Asia. An
omnivorous open woodland bird with a strong territorial instinct, the Myna has adapted
extremely well to urban environments.

•It is a species of bird native to Asia with its initial home range spanning from Iran, the
entire South Asia including Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.

Asian Pied Starling (Sturnus contra) IUCN Status :- LC

•This myna is strikingly marked in black and white and has a yellowish bill with a reddish
bill base. The bare skin around the eye is reddish. The upper body, throat and breast
are black while the cheek, lores, wing coverts and rump are contrastingly white.

•Their main distribution in India is in the Gangetic plains but extending south to the
Krishna River

Purple Sunbird (Cinnyris asiaticus) IUCN Status :- LC

•This small sunbird has a relatively short bill, a dark and short square ended tail with
distinctive sexual dimorphism. Less than 10 cm long they have a down-curve bill with
brush-tipped tubular tongues that aid in nectar feeding.

•The species is distributed widely from West Asia through the Indian Subcontinent and
into Southeast Asia. They are resident birds in most parts of their range and do not
move large distances.

Black Drongo (Dicrurus macrocercus) IUCN Status :- LC

•This bird is glossy black with a wide fork to the tail. Adults usually have a small white
spot at the base of the gape.The sexes cannot be told apart in the field.

•They are found as summer visitors to northeastern Afghanistan and northern Pakistan
but are residents from the Indus Valley until Bangladesh and into India and Sri Lanka
 Reptiles

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Esturine crocodile (Crocodylus porosus) IUCN Status :- LC

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•The saltwater crocodile has a longer muzzle than the mugger crocodile; its length is

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twice its width at the base. The saltwater crocodile has fewer armour plates on its
neck than other crocodilians. On this species, a pair of ridges run from the eyes along
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•It is found in suitable habitats from Northern Australia through Southeast Asia to the
eastern coast of India, historically ranging as far west as off the eastern coast of
Africa and as far east as waters off of Japan.
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Olive ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea) IUCN Status :- VU

•The olive ridley is a small sea turtle, with an adult carapace length averaging 60 to 70
cm.The heart-shaped carapace is characterized by four pairs of pore-bearing
inframarginal scutes on the bridge, two pairs of prefrontals, and up to 9 lateral
scutes per side. Olive ridleys are unique in that they can have variable and
asymmetrical lateral scute counts ranging from five to 9 plates on each side, with six
to eight being most commonly observed.

•The olive ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea), also known as the Pacific ridley
sea turtle, is a medium-sized species of sea turtle found in warrm and tropical
waters, primarily in the Pacific and Indian Oceans.

Amphibia
Asian Common Toad (Duttaphrynus melanostictus) IUCN Status :- LC

•The species grows to about 20 cm (8 in) long. The species breeds during the monsoons
and the tadpoles are black. Young toads may be seen in large numbers after the
monsoons.

• Throughout south & south-east Asia

Green Pond Frog (Euphlyctis hexadactylus) IUCN Status :- LC

•The Green Pond Frog is the only frog that eats vegetation. Usually consumes plants
and some flowers.
•It is a common species of aquatic frog found in peninsular India and Sri Lanka.

Skittering Frog (Euphlyctis cyanophlyctis) IUCN Status :- LC

•They are slimy and are often seen at the edge of bodies of water with their eyes above
the water. They noisily move away from the shore when disturbed, giving them their
common name. They are rarely seen outside water.

•The species is widely distributed from Arabia to South Asia and South-east Asia.
 Fishes

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Mudskippers (Subfamily Oxudercinae)

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•They are completely amphibious fish, fish that can use their pectoral fins to walk on

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land.Being amphibious, they are uniquely adapted to intertidal habitats, unlike most
fish in such habitats which survive the retreat of the tide by hiding under wet seaweed
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interacting with one another, for example to defend their territories.
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•They are found in tropical, subtropical and temperate regions, including the Indo-
Pacific and the Atlantic coast of Africa.
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Needlefish (Family Belonidae)

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•Needlefish are slender fish, ranging from 3 centimetres (1.2 in) to 95 centimetres (37
in) in length. They have a single dorsal fin, placed far back on the body, almost opposite
to the anal fin. Their most distinctive feature is their long narrow beak, which bears
multiple sharp teeth. In most species, the upper jaw only reaches its full length in
adulthood, so that the juveniles have a half-beak appearance, with an elongate lower
jaw, but a much smaller upper one. During this stage of their life cycle, they eat
plankton, switching to fish once the beak fully develops.

•These are piscivorous fishes primarily associated with very shallow marine habitats or
the surface of the open sea. Some genera include species found in marine, brackish,
and freshwater environments (e.g., Strongylura) while a few genera are confined to
freshwater rivers and streams.

Arthropoda
Fiddler crab (Uca sp.)

•Like all crabs, fiddler crabs shed their shells as they grow. If they have lost legs or claws
during their present growth cycle, a new one will be present when they molt. If the large
fiddle claw is lost, males will develop one on the opposite side after their next molt.

•Found in mangroves, in salt marshes, and on sandy or muddy beaches

Orb-weaver Spider (Neoscona sp.)

•The "typical" orb-weaver spiders (family Araneidae) are the most common group of
builders of spiral wheel shaped webs often found in gardens, fields and forests. Their
common name is taken from the round shape of this typical web, and the taxon was
formerly also referred to as the Orbiculariae.

•It found more or less in every continent.

Huntsman Spiders (Heteropoda venetoria)

•Huntsman spiders do not build webs, but hunt and forage for food: their diet consists
primarily of insects and other invertebrates,
•Members of the Sparassidae are common in Australia, but also in many warm-temperate-
to-tropical parts of the world.
 Sunderban Biosphere Reserve – a World Heritage Site

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The Typhoon Aila devastated Sunderban on May25'2009, after 3 years

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Sundarban is back again on it's track bubbling with activity. It has again

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become green, cultivation of agricultural land is back again, face of the
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people again shows smile, tourists are back, new hotels have come up
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at Sunderban.
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Natural environment of Sunderban ---

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Physiography :- Sunderban is a tide dominated allochthonus type

of mangrove wetland. The geomorphology of this mangrove estuary is
funnel-shaped with numerous linear tidal mud flats and a network of
tidal channels. The Sunderban mud flats are found at the estuary and
on the deltaic islands where low velocity of river and tidal current
occurs. The flats are exposed in low tides and submerged in high tides,
thus being changed morphologically even in one tidal cycle.The tidal
action deposits silts back on the channels and raising the bed, it forms
new islands and creeks contributing to uncertain geomorphology. The
mean sea level in the Sunderban is about 3.30 m and the mean highest
high water level and mean lowest high water level are 5.94 m and 0.94
m, respectively. Due to gentle slope of the coast and large tidal
amplitude, tidal water penetrates at an average distance of 110 km
inland from the shore line and in some areas, the effect of the tides is
felt over 300 km inland.

Soil types and salinity :- The active delta of the Sunderban

bears the soil types of silty clay loams, sandy clay and loams, soil with
organic and peaty deposits, swampy and marshy soil, also called as
a grove soil’. The soil is o yge deficie t a d itroge co te t is
also low. Soil pH is more or less acidic (ranges from 5.4 to 7.8).
Although soil contains adequate water, yet plants can not avail the
 water because of high concentration of salts (mostly chloride, sulphate

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and bicarbonate salts of sodium, magnesium and calcium).The salinity

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of the surface soil is governed by the quantity of freshwater flow and

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monsoon rainfall. The average soil salinity is highest (about

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11.8mmhos/cm) in the middle of summer and lowest (2.1mmhos/cm)
in the rainy months. Ganges and Brahmaputra, two snow-fed rivers
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and their large number of tributaries and rivulets, supply huge amount
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of freshwater to the Sunderban mangroves throughout the

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year.Because of this, salinity of the water body within the mangrove

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forest as well as near the sea is lower than that of the sea water even
during summer months.

Climate :- The Sunderban region has a warm humid climate. The

average maximum and minimum temperature of this region is 40o C
and 18o C, respectively with an annual rainfall of about 1600 to 1800
mm. Sunderban receives rainfall during the southwest monsoon
season, which starts in June and continues until October, with
occasional rainfall throughout the year. Rainfall is negligible in winter
months. December to March, these four months are considered as dry
months. Occasionally, during May and October, violent cyclonic storms
accompanied with high sea waves and tides devastate the coastal
Sunderban area.

Biodiversity of Sunderban :- The large spatial and temporal

variability in hydrological regimes (both freshwater infl ows and the
tides), topography and texture of the substratum, the salinity, and their
interactions, result in very high habitat heterogeneity in the mangrove
ecosystems, and thereby ensure an equally diverse biodiversity.
Overall, there are relatively small differences between the species
composition of the Indian and Bangladesh parts. An assessment of the
total biodiversity in Indian Sundarban is given below :-
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Floral diversity and distribution :- Sunderban wetlands

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receive more freshwater though river discharge coupled with high

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rainfall. The tropical humid climate and the less number of dry months

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are also supportive for plant growth. Hence, the species content as
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well as biomass is obviously high in this region, in comparison to the
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rest of the mangrove wetlands in India.

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The interior parts of the mudflats are magnificent home of

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luxuriant mangroves. According to an estimate by the Forest

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Department, there are 84 species of true mangroves, mangrove-

associates and back mangroves found in the Sunderban mangrove
forest. However, the distribution of species is not uniform and
primarily controlled by the level of salinity and not by the tidal
inundation.

Basically the true estuarine zone, comprising the estuarine banks

along the mouths of the rivers with new depositions, are dominated
by the Jatbaen (Avicennia officinalis) ,Pairabaen(A. alba) ,Kalabaen(A.
marina), Garia(Kandelia candel), Kripa(Lumnitzera racemosa) ,
Tora(Aegialitis rotundifolia), etc; that have tolerance to high salinity
 and submergence. The middle estuarine zone where , the salinity is

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lower but the tidal current passing through the narrow creeks and

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channels is high, is dominated by Garjan(Rhizophora apiculata),

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Goran(Ceriops decandra), Mathgoran(C. tagal) , Bakul(Bruguiera

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cylindrica), Keora(Sonneratia apetala),etc. The inner estuarine or
riverine zone comprising elevated areas with less saline soil and more
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fresh water flow, is dominated by Genwa(Excoecaria agallocha),

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Kankra(Bruguiera gymnorrhiza), Khalsi(Aegiceras corniculatum) and

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Ora(Sonneratia caseolaris). Hental(Phoenix paludosa) forest exists in

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relatively high land and compact soil.

However, some mangrove plant species are rare, endemic and
restricted to specific salinity. The distribution of trees like Amur (Agalia
domestica), Dhundul(Xylocarpus granatum), Passur(X. mekongensis),
Sundari(Heritiera fomes) and Golpata(Nypa fruticans) palm-swamps
are extremely limited. Among these species,Sundari and Golpata are
very rarely sighted in the wild. Besides, plants like Amur, Passur, Tora,
etc.,are endemic to the Sunderban region only.
Freshwater inflow in the western part of Sunderban has been
reduced by geotectonic and fluvial reasons. This has caused the forest
cover at this area less dense and discontinuous. The mangroves in this
zone are dwarf as well as bushy types and are represented by
Hargoza(Acanthus ilicifolius),Ban Lebu(Merope angulata),Lata
Sundari(Brownlowia tersa),etc.

Faunal diversity :- The fauna of the Sunderban has attracted

much attention because of the huge economic importance of many
species. Crustaceans account for the largest proportion of animal
biomass e.g fiddler crabs,mud crabs besides a considerable harvest of
shrimps, prawns and lobsters. The Sunderban supports very rich
estuarine and coastal marine fi sheries. Among the diversity of insects,
honeybees hold an important position for the production of large
 quantities of honey and beeswax. Also, the Sunderban is the only

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mangrove forest with a species of the tiger – the Royal Bengal Tiger

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(Panthera tigris). The total faunal diversity of the Sunderban in listed

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below

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Fish :- The Indian Sunderban contains a number of species (165
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species; Sanyal, 1999). The fish diversity is directly related to the
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salinity gradients in different parts of the Sunderban. Fishes such as

Harpodon nehereus, Trichiurus savala, Setipinna sp., Pampus sp.,
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Sardinella sp. And Salar sp. occur in areas with salinity, whereas
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Pangasius pangasius and Lates calcarifer occur in freshwater areas or

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those with very low salinity. The dominant fishes in brackish water
zones (moderate salinity) are Hilsa (Tenualosa) ilisha, Pomadasys
hasta, Polynemus sp. and Coilia sp. Several marine fi shes also often
occur within the mangroves.
Reptiles and amphibian :- The species richness of reptiles and
amphibia in the Sunderban respectively 7(amphibians) 59 (reptiles).
Among snakes, the Family Boidae is the largest with 13 species,
followed by Hydrophidae (7 species), Elapidae (4 species) and
Typhlopidae and Viperidae (2 species each). Noteworthy species are
the king cobra (Ophiophagus hannah), Indian spectacled cobra (Naja
naja) and Indian python (Python molurus). Among 14 turtles and
tortoises, six species are nearly extinct or threatened. Of the four
marine turtles, the olive ridley turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea), though
endangered, is the most abundant. The green turtle (Chelonia mydas)
is rare due to excessive fishing, while the loggerhead (Caretta caretta)
and hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata) are not common (Hussain and
Acharya, 1994). The river terrapin (Batagur baska) and three of the 14
species of lizards and monitors are also endangered.
Birds :- The avifauna of the Sundarban is highly varied and very rich in
species. Several species of kingfishers (including brown-winged and
stork-billed kingfishers, Pelargopsis amauropterus and P. capensis,
respectively) and the magnifi cent white-bellied sea-eagle (Haliaeetus
leucogaster) are quite common, as are many herons, egrets, storks,
sandpipers, whimbrels, curlews and other waders. There are also many
species of gulls and terns, especially along the coast and the larger
 waterways. The greyheaded fish eagle (Ichthyophaga ichthyaetus) and

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Pallas’s fish-eagle (Haliaeetus leucoryphus) are quite rare. Apart from

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the species particularly associated with the sea and wetlands, there is

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also a considerable variety of forest birds, such as woodpeckers,

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barbets, shrikes, drongos, mynahs, minivets, babblers and many
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others.
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Mammals :- There are 31 species of mammals. Many mammals

became extinct,at least five species, namely the Javan rhinoceros
(Rhinoceros sondaicus), water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis), swamp deer
(Cervus duvauceli), gaur (Bos frontalis) and probably the hog deer (Axis
porcinus) have disappeared locally during the past century. The one-
horned rhino (Rhinoceros unicornis), Indian bison (Bos gaurus) and
Sambhar (Cervus unicolor), which were once common here, are also
now locally extinct. The only primate is the rhesus macaque (Macaca
mulatta) which still occurs in good numbers, but its population is
declining gradually. The Sunderbans of Bangladesh and India support
one of the largest populations of tiger, Panthera tigris (estimated 350-
400). Spotted deer (Cervus axis) and wild boar (Sus scrofa) occur in
large numbers and form the principal prey of the tiger. Besides three
species of otters, there are wild cats (Felis bengalensis, F. chaus and F.
viverrina) and the Ganges River Dolphin (Platanista gangetica).
 Invertebrates :- In the Indian Sunderban, arthropods are the most

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abundant invertebrates (476 species) comprised almost entirely of

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crustaceans (240) and insects (201 species). Molluscs (143 aspecies),

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annelids (78 species) and nematodes (68 species) are the next most

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common groups of invertebrates, other than the protopzoans (104
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species). As mentioned earlier,the crustaceans are of great economic
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importance and a large number of species of prawns and shrimps are

exploited commercially. A substantial proportion of species are
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planktonic. Among insects, odonates and dipterans have the largest

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representation. At least 15 other phyla are represented in the

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invertebrate fauna of the Sunderban.

Threats to biodiversity :- The biodiversity of wetlands is

governed by a large variety of factors ranging from the evolutionary
history and paleoclimate to the current biophysical and anthropogenic
factors, besides the nature and intensity of interactions with adjacent
systems. Furthermore, various sociocultural, economic and political infl
uences also affect the biodiversity directly as well as indirectly.
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Local Culture of Sunderban :- The Sunderbans is celebrated

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through numerous Bengali folk songs and dances, often centered

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around the folk heroes, gods and goddesses specific to the Sunderbans

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(like Bonbibi and Dakshin Rai) and to the Lower Gangetic Delta (like

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Manasa and Chand Sadagar). The Bengali folk epic Manasamangal
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mentions Netidhopani and has some passages set in the Sunderbans
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during the heroine Behula's quest to bring her husband Lakhindar back
to life.
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The Sunderbans has been the subject of a detailed and well-researched

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scholarly work on Bonbibi (a 'forest goddess' venerated by both

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Muslims and Hindus), on the relation between the islanders and tigers
& it’s co servatio .
Sunderbans.
Documentary about Sunderban :- Numerous documentary
movies have been made about the Sunderbans, including the 2003
IMAX production Shining Bright about the Bengal Tiger. The acclaimed
BBC TV series Ganges documents the lives of villagers, especially honey
collectors, in the Sunderbans.

Conclusion :- The three days amidst the mangroves and its

specialized flora and fauna enriched us with a complete package of
messages. The depth of the greenery made us explore ourselves and
reveal the philosopher and nature lover within us. It gave us a good
lesson, how to be a part of a forest ecosystem. We learned how we
should prepare ourselves , such that we could crate least annoyance to
the organisms. The hardship and simplicity of the daily life of the
common man put a great example of sustainable living in front of us.
Besides all the hardships the hostility of the the local people made us
salute their lion hearts. Above all the characteristic mangrove flora and
fauna widened our knowledge and enriched our skill for a field study
in an ecosystem. The great opportunity to witness some greatest
animals like Estuarine Crocodile, Brown-winged Kingfisher, White
Bellied Sea Eagle, Lesser Adjutant Stork etc. made the tour a grand
success. We realized again that only bookish knowledge is not
 sufficient to study subjects like Zoology completely. Moreover the tour

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made the bond stronger amongst our 23 colleagues and with our

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honorable teachers without the guidance of whom it might have been

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turned futile. The mangroves of Sundarban curved out a permanent

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place in our hearts and though we returned after a very short period of
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three days to have the full essence of Sndarban we promised, that we
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shall come back, to know, to explore and to get lost in its irresistible
attraction. The Sunderban is really incredible.
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Acknowledgement
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All the admiration to all associates of Department of
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Zoology,Burdwan Raj College Who have enabled me to

submit this report on excursion 2010.
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I express my most sincere gratitude and indebtedness to our

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respected professors Dr. Apurba Kr. Chattopadhya & Dr.

Jagabandhu Nandi who act as a guardian and leader of our
excursion team.
I extended my thanks and gratefulness to Mr. Siddhartha
Goswami & Soven Sarkar for their kind co-operation by giving
us important information about wildlife, behaviour,
photography during our whole study period.
I would like to thanks to our guide Bibhas babu; who
introduced us about ecology & wildlife of Sunderban.
I must have to thank the car driver, launch driver and helpers
for their cordial help to make the journey pleasant and
successful.