One of the most extensive mangrove forests in the world, the Sundarbans, is located on the Bay of Bengal. The park is on the Ganges, Brahmaputra, and Meghna river deltas, covering an area of 140,000 acres.
An intricate system of tidal rivers, mudflats, and tiny islands intersect the national park, illustrating continuing ecological processes. Along with 260 different bird species, the Bengal tiger, and other threatened species, the region is famous for its flora.
The regional economy of Bangladesh’s southwest and the country’s economy heavily relies on the Sundarbans. It is the nation’s primary source of all forest products.
The forest provides the raw resources for companies relying on wood. In addition to typical forest goods like timber, fuelwood, pulpwood, etc., there is a regular, large-scale harvest of non-wood forest products such as thatching materials, honey, beeswax, fish, crustaceans, and mollusks.
The Sundarbans’ vegetated tidal lands serve as an essential habitat, provide nutrients, and purify water. Both domestic and international tourists find the Sunderbans to be aesthetically appealing. The Sundarbans’ water houseboats have recently become a popular tourist destination.
There are various interesting facts about the Sundarbans National Park. Travelers curious about the facts about the Sundarbans National Park are on the right page. Get the complete facts about the Sundarbans.
Here Are 10 Interesting Facts About Sundarbans National Park
Largest mangrove forest in India
The Sundarbans have the largest mangrove forest in the world. The salty coastal waters around the Sundarbans are one primary reason for the growth of mangrove vegetation.
It comprises 4,000 square kilometers and 102 islands, 54 of which are inhabited and the rest covered with forest. The Sundarbans have the world’s largest coastal mangrove forest, around 10,000 square kilometers shared between India and Bangladesh.
Sundarbans Biosphere Reserve has been considered to be India’s Largest Fishery Board because of its brackish water fish production and marine fisheries.
Also Check out Popular Sundarbans Tour Packages
Sundarbans shelters over 400 Royal Bengal Tigers
It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a prominent place for tiger conservation under the Tiger Project. The park is a must for every tiger lover to glimpse the magnificent creatures along the delta’s banks in India and Bangladesh.
The awe-inspiring sight of tigers swimming and relaxing in the salty water of Sundarbans and some wild animals roaming around may give goosebumps. Enclosed by a thick mangrove forest and huge saline mudflats, Sundarbans Tiger Reserve counts the highest number of tigers in the world. While roaming around the dense evergreen delta forests, you will feel the presence of wild animals around you. Unlike other national parks, wildlife safaris have been done by ferries and boats here.
It has been in existence for over 200 years
Almost 200 years ago, the Sundarbans were once estimated to be roughly 16,700 square kilometers (6,400 sq. mi). However, it is currently just approximately one-third of what it formerly was.
Today’s total land area is 4,143 square kilometers (1,600 square miles), which includes 42 square kilometers (16 square miles) of exposed sandbars; the remaining water area is 1,874 square kilometers (724 square miles), which includes rivers, tiny streams, and canals. In the Sundarbans, rivers are where freshwater and saltwater mix.
As a result, it serves as a crossing point between the freshwater rivers that flow from the Ganges and the salty water of the Bay of Bengal.
A total of 334 plant species
Sunderban is known for having a wide variety of trees. A brackish water area has been created due to the Bay of Bengal’s water seeping into West Bengal’s landmass. The mangrove forest, which has specially adapted to this marine ecology, makes up a substantial portion of the Sundarbans Flora. The Sundarbans contain different types of forests, including mangrove scrub, coastal forest, saltwater mixed forest, brackish water mixed forest, and swamp forest.
As well as extensive areas of brackish water and freshwater marshes, intertidal mudflats, sandflats, dunes, and raised areas support a variety of terrestrial shrubs and trees.
As a result, there are 334 different species. Botanist David Prain made this record in Bangladesh’s mangrove forests, including the Sundari (Heritiera littoralis), Keora (Sonneratia apetala), and Kangra (Bruguiera gymnorrhiza).
The tidal phenomenon of Sundarbans
In seasonal rhythm with the monsoon, more than 450 curling rivers and creeks make up this vast showerhead’s nozzles, running entirely in the hot, rainy summer and sluggishly in the warm, dry winter. Some waterways clog with sediment for years or forever. Others get dammed or channeled by shrimp and rice farmers.
The Sundarbans have a distinctive tidal phenomenon that occurs twice a day. High tides occur when the water level rises 6–10 feet, and low tides occur when the vast mudland area is flat.
Visiting the Sundarbans during the high tides will allow you to explore the forest and wild animals by boat. If you are looking to explore wildlife, then high tides are the most appropriate time for ships to enter the forest searching for wild animals.
Sundarbans has a large number of islands
People in India know the Sundarbans as a beautiful patchwork of mangrove islands covering nearly 4,000 square miles and extending into Bangladesh. It is also home to various rare and endangered species and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. But now, this watery landscape is getting international attention for a different reason.
Some of these islands are disappearing, swallowed up by rising tides. As a result, tens of thousands of people who live in the Sundarbans have lost their homes in recent decades.
The forest consists of 102 islands, 16 fewer than the city of Venice. Of these 102 islands, 54 are where people live, and the rest are fully occupied by forest. Forty percent of the total area of the Sundarbans is in India, and the rest is in Bangladesh.
Biggest inhabited islands in Sundarbans
The Indian state of West Bengal has the little town of Gosaba, located in the Sundarbans. It is highly valued for its ecological significance and diverse biological variety.
Gosaba is the most significant and last inhabited island on Sundarbans, on the Indian side. It comprises 40% of the total area of Sundarbans. After this island, the area for a substantial, dense forest starts. This island has hospitals, government offices, schools, and panchayats.
Gosaba’s tourism sector is expanding as more tourists arrive to explore the Sundarbans and take in the region’s distinctive wildlife and scenic splendor. The town offers guided tours of the forest and its wildlife in addition to having a variety of guesthouses and resorts to accommodate guests. With this website, you can reserve a Sundarban tour to experience the best Sundarbans.
Naming process of Sundarbans
Sundarbans Jungle was named after the large mangrove trees Sundari. It means beautiful. No one can deny that the park is gorgeous and bountiful thanks to the abundant flora and fauna.
The mangrove forest in the UNESCO World Heritage Site is named after the once-abundant Sundari tree. The Sundari is the dominant mangrove tree species of the Sundarbans of India and Bangladesh.
The Sundarbans Mangrove ecoregion lies in a vast delta, an area of over 10,000 square kilometers formed by the confluence of South Asia’s largest rivers, the Ganges, Hooghly, Padma, Brahmaputra, and Meghna. Intense monsoons from the Bay of Bengal bring heavy rains and devastating cyclones that cause widespread destruction.
Largest fishery board in India
The interconnected waterways in the Sundarbans make almost every forest corner accessible by ferries and boats. This gives the traveler an excellent opportunity for sightseeing and getting thrilled by the magic of the jungle. Being one of the unique natural resource endowments,
Sundarbans Biosphere Reserve is one of the India’s Largest Fishery Board because the area is also famous for its brackish marine fisheries and water fish production. It covers a total area of 50 hectares. The site supports exceptional biodiversity in its terrestrial, aquatic, and marine habitats, ranging from micro to macro flora and fauna.
The Sundarbans are universally important for globally endangered species, including the Ganges and Irrawaddy dolphins, estuarine crocodiles, and the critically endangered endemic river terrapin (Batagur baska). In addition, it is the only mangrove habitat in the world for Panthera tigris tigris species.
Novels on Sundarbans
The Sundarbans are the world’s largest mangrove forest. The park’s land area is continually being altered, molded, and sculpted by the tides. With pronounced Erosion processes along estuaries, deposition processes are influenced by the faster discharge of sediment from seawater.
Authors have written several novels set in the Sundarbans, based on the rigors of the village and fishermen’s lives. Some of these novels include The Mystery of the Black Jungle by Emilio Salgari, Sundarbane Arjan Sardar by Shib Sankar Mitra, and Padma Nadir Majhi by Manik Bandopadhyay. Also, the Booker Prize-winning novels Midnight’s Children by Salman Rushdie and The Hungry Tide by Amitav Ghosh are set in the Sundarbans.
Undoubtedly, the Sundarban National Park is one of the most talked-about travel destinations in West Bengal and is one of the ecotourism spots in India. The Park is housed in a Mangrove Forest and located on the delta of three primal rivers in India: The Ganges, The Padma, and The Brahmaputra.
Are you planning to visit Sundarban National Park in the coming days? In that case, you have chosen an excellent travel destination where you can enjoy nature in its unadulterated form and explore some fantastic travel attractions. So, what are you waiting for? Plan your Sundarban National Park wildlife tour with Indian Visit and have an unforgettable travel experience!
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