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.

Sundarban marked in India

Location
sundarban.
Coordinates (225430S
431147W.)

Sundarban
Images Of Site

History
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.

People and Culture

During 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 facilities
8) Occasional devastations by cyclonic storm.

Sundarban Tigers
Tiger attacksin theSundarbans, inIndiaandBangladeshare estimated to
kill from 0-50 (mean of 22.7 between 1947 and 1983) people per
year.TheSundarbansis home to over 100Bengal tigers,one of the largest single
populations oftigersin 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; inBandhavgarh, 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.

Source:- Internet

Geological Conditions
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
oftidalwaterways,mudflatsand small islands of salttolerant mangrove forests. The interconnected network
of waterways makes almost every corner of the forest
accessible by boat. The area is known for
theeponymousRoyal Bengal tiger(Panthera tigris tigris),
as well as numerous fauna including species of
birds,spotted deer,crocodilesand 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.

Climate
Although 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.

How to reach?

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 .

Why Sundarban?
Risk of tigers and Wild animals
Underdeveloped place
Less materials available
Topography (mangrove)
Beautiful place
Unexplored and untouched

Bibliography
http://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