Wildlife Conservation & Restoration Tourism
- About Wildlife Conservation & Restoration Tourism in India. Feature Information
about Wildlife Parks, Tiger Reserves & Bird Sanctuary in India.
Sunderbans Tiger Reserve
» Introduction
Sundarbans in West Bengal is the estuarine phase of the Ganges as well as Brahmaputra
river systems. This littoral forest is the only ecological habitat of the tiger
of its kind not only in India but also in the world except in Bangladesh. The
typical littoral forests of Sundarbans comprises of a host of trees species
adopted to the peculiar estuarine condition of high salinity, lack of soil erosion
and daily inundation by high tides. The tidal forms and the mangrove vegetation
in Sundarban are responsible for dynamic eco-system vigorous nutrient cycling
both terrestrial and aquatic. The whole eco-system is sensitive to changes in
salinity and the continuous cycle of erosion and deposition is affecting the
plant communities giving rise to dynamic floristic changes. The plant communities
are continuously adjusting to the new conditions.
Sundarbans Tiger Reserve provides characteristic type of habitat suitable
for animals inhabiting vast tidal swamp area. Because of their intimate association
with the estuarine environment, sizeable portion of aquatic and semi-aquatic
animal communities are inter-related with the animals inhabiting the land
areas. The uniqueness of the habitat is said to have contributed to certain
behavioral trends, which are characteristic of Sundarbans tigers only. It
is considered that man-eating propensity of tiger in this area is hereditarily
acquired over a period of generations in the process of consumption of saline
water.
Cheetal, wild boar, rhesus macaque are the main prey species of tiger. Aquatic
animals like the crabs and fishes are also eaten by Sundarban tiger which
occupies the pinnacle of both terrestrial as well as aquatic food-web.
Sundarbans mangrove is the home of a number of endangered and globally threatened
species. The Bengal Tiger and the fishing cat are getting effective protection
here. The creeks of Sundarbans form the home of Estuarine Crocodile, Salvator
Lizard (Water Monitor), River Terrapin and Horse Shoe or King Crab. This area
serves as the nesting ground for endangered marine turtles like Olive Ridley,
Green Turtle and Hawk's Bill Turtles. The aquatic endangered mammals like
Genetic Dolphins thrive within mangrove creeks close to sea. Number of heronries
form here during monsoon as well as during winter. It is home for Trans-Himalayan
migratory birds.
» Conservation History
The Sundarbans Tiger Reserve, created in 1973, was the part of the then 24-Pargans
Division. Subsequently the area comprising of the present tiger reserve was
constituted as Reserve Forest in 1978. The total area of the Sunderbans is 9630
sq. km. out of which 4264 sq. km. bears mangrove forest. The area of the Reserve
is 2585 sq. km. covering land area of 1600 sq. km. and water body over 985 sq.
km.
Within this area 1330.12 sq. km. is designated as core area, which was subsequently
declared as Sundarban National Park in 1984. An area of 124.40 sq. km. within
the core area is preserved as primitive zone to act as gene pool.
Within the buffer zone, Sajnekhali Wildlife sanctuary was created in 1976 covering
an area of 362.335 sq. km. Considering the importance of the biogeographic region
of Bengalian River Forests and its unique biodiversity the National Park area
of the Reserve was included in the list of World Heritage Sites in 1985. Whole
Sundarbans area was declared as Biosphere Reserve in 1989.
» Census
| CENSUS |
| Year |
Species |
Population |
1989
|
Deer |
30886 |
1992
|
Tiger |
251 |
| 1993 |
Deer
Wild boar
Rhesus macaque
Water Monitor
|
30978
11869
37691
10272 |
| 1995 |
Tiger |
242 |
| 1997 |
Tiger |
256-270 |
» Forest Types
Tidal swamp forests,Saline water type mixed forests ,brackish water type mixed
forests palm swamp type.
Major Flora
There are 64 plant species in Sundarbans and they have the capacity to withstand
estuarine conditions and saline inundation on account of tidal effects.
Main Species : Excaecaria sp., Heritiera sp., Ceriops sp., Phoenix sp.,
Sonneratia sp., Avicennia sp., Rhizophora sp., Xylocarpus sp., Bruguiera sp.
etc.
Major Fauna
Main Species : Tiger, fishing cat, chital, wildboar, water monitor, estuarine
crocodile.
Endanger Species : Tiger, Estuarian Crocodile, River Terrapin (Batagur
baska), Olive Ridlay Turtle, Gangetic Dolphin, Ground Turtle, Hawks Bill Turtle,
King Crabs (Horse shoe)
» Managements
Practices, Achievements and Shortfalls
The Reserve has received effective protection under Project Tiger since its
creation. The core area is free from all human disturbances like fishing, collection
of wood, honey and other forest produces while in buffer fishing, honey collection
and wood cutting are permitted to a limited extent. Protection against poaching
and theft of forest produce has been ensured through intensive patrolling by
staff in motorboats and launches. The offices and camps are located at strategic
points to keep a watch over the area. There exists an effective communication
network for protection. Furthermore, the staff is well armed.
Intensive management takes care of the maintenance and improvement of the
habitat through eco-conservation, eco-development, education, training and
research. Mud-flats on the periphery of the reserve are artificially regenerated
with mangrove plants to meet local fuel wood demand and reduce the pressure
on buffer. Non-mangrove plantations are also raised along roads and embankments
of the fringe area to cater the need of the fringe people.
Soil conservation is taken up to stabilize the vulnerable sites. To facilitate
the availability of sweet water for animals, ponds have been dug at several
places in the forest.
The other main activity is controlling man-eating by tigers which existed here
since time immemorial and the number of casualties have been reduced from more
than 40 to less than 10 per year. This has become possible due to strict control
over the movement of the people inside the tiger reserve, alternative income
generation and awareness building among people. Use of human-masks, electric
human dummies etc. are believed to have also contributed in controlling man-eating
by tigers. The straying of tigers into the adjoining villages is a serious problem
in the area. Measures like erection of branches of genwa, nylon net fencing
at forest side and solar illumination at village side at night have however,
helped to reduce the incidents of tiger straying. For rescuing the strayed tiger,
method of tranquilization using dart gun is also applied where driving of the
tiger to the nearby forest is not possible. The youth of the villages have also
been imparted training to enable them to play appropriate role in controlling
the straying of the tigers into the habitation.
Sunderbans Tiger Reserve Reservation Form
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