Sundarbans National Park, Ganges Delta

Royal Bengal Tiger, World Heritage in Bangladesh Coastal Mangrove

Apr 20, 2009

The Sundarbans are a pristine world of forests, rivers and swamps teeming with wildlife where humans still dare to venture to eek out a precarious living.

The Sundarbans claim the world’s largest coastal mangrove, stretching around the Bay of Bengal in the Ganges Delta and some 80 km inland, across India and Bangladesh. They are listed World Heritage sites with three wildlife sanctuaries and over 60% of the mangrove forest in south west Bangladesh.

Beyond the fertile agricultural lands, Bangladesh Sundarbans National Park is a maze of rivers and streams, creeks, estuaries, mudflats and islands dotted through mangrove or freshwater forest swamps. The only way to explore is by boat, gliding through damp primeval jungle in a world without end.

Visitors must obtain a permit from the Forest Office in Khulna and accommodation in the rest-houses should be booked in advance. Package tours are available from Dhaka, October to March.

Sundarbans National Park, Royal Bengal Tigers,Sundarbans Tiger Project

The Sundarbans National Park is home to around 400 Royal Bengal tigers, dreaded man-eaters said to claim over 100 lives a year. Some believe high salinity has led them to develop a taste for human flesh. Yet sightings are rare even in the most likely spots such as Hiron Point, Katka or Tin Kona Island. The Bengal tiger can live up to 16 years and reach three metres in length.

The Sundarbans Tiger Project is currently gathering data for conservation purposes. The greatest danger is loss of habitat, poaching or hunting by fearful locals but the Sundarbans retain the highest tiger density on earth.

Besides tigers, the Bangladesh coastal mangrove is rich in wildlife from boars and theses monkeys to jungle fowl, 50 species of reptiles, including the Indian python, and 30 000 spotted deer. Saltwater crocodiles, monitors and Gangetic river dolphins can also be spotted.

Over 120 species of fish have been recorded and 260 of birds from snipes and golden eagles to blue-eared kingfishers or migrating Siberian ducks.

Different degrees of salinity ensure a variety of plants and trees, most impressive the 25 metre high Sundari trees which give the Sundarbans their name of beautiful forest.

There are few permanent dwellings in the Sundarbans but neighbouring populations still seek a living from land and water. Loggers build temporary homes high above the ground while sea gypsies roaming in thatched boats train otters to catch fish. In the winter months, fishermen from Chittagong sail to Dublar Island in search of shrimps, fish and sharks.

Among those brave enough to step ashore are the honey gatherers who climb up vertiginous trees to collect the sweetest nectar. Their work is fraught with danger, height, bees and not least prowling tigers ready to pounce at the first lapse of concentration.

The copyright of the article Sundarbans National Park, Ganges Delta in Bangladesh Travel is owned by Solange Hando. Permission to republish Sundarbans National Park, Ganges Delta in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.