Sundarbans National Park

Sundarbans National Park is a special protected area in West Bengal, India. It is part of a big natural region called the Sundarbans, which also stretches into nearby Bangladesh. This park is very important because it helps protect many animals, including the Bengal tiger, and many kinds of birds and reptiles.

The park sits on the Ganges Delta, a rich area covered with special trees called mangrove forests. These forests grow in water and salt soil, making the Sundarbans a unique place. You can even find salt-water crocodile here, which are very rare.

Sundarbans National Park became a protected wildlife area in 1977 and was named a national park in 1984. In 1987, it was recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, meaning it is one of the most important natural places in the world. It is also a special area for protecting water birds and wetlands, known as a Ramsar site.

Administration

Map of the protected areas of the Indian Sunderban, showing the boundaries of the tiger reserve, the national park and the three wildlife sanctuaries, conservation and lodging centres, subsistence towns, and access points. The entire forested (dark green) area constitutes the biosphere reserve, with the remaining forests outside the national park and wildlife sanctuaries being given the status of a primary reserve forest.

The Directorate of Forest manages Sundarbans National Park. The Principal Chief Conservator of Forests is the main officer in charge, with a Chief Conservator of Forests leading the park locally. They have helpers and divide the park into two areas, each looked after by a range forest officer. These areas are then split into smaller parts.

The park gets money from the state government and the Ministry of Environment and Forests. It also receives support from the Project Tiger program. In 2001, it got a grant of US$20,000 to help with projects between India and Bangladesh.

Geography

The Sundarbans National Park is found in West Bengal, India. It lies between 21° 432′ – 21° 55′ N latitude and between 88° 42′ – 89° 04′ E longitude. The park sits about 7.5 meters above sea level and includes 54 small islands. Several branches of the Ganges River flow through the area.

Sundarban Mudflats during low tide

The park experiences hot summers with temperatures up to 48 °C and cool winters around 20 °C. It receives a lot of rain, especially during the monsoon from mid-June to mid-September. Strong winds and occasional storms are common, especially between May and October. The park's landscape changes often because of tides, which bring in silt and create new islands and channels.

The Sundarbans is home to many plants and animals, including special mangrove trees called Sundari, which help the forest breathe when flooded. Endangered animals such as the royal Bengal tiger, saltwater crocodile, and olive ridley turtle live here. The nearby waters also shelter many rare whales and dolphins.

Management and special projects

Patrolling boat in Sundarbans

The Bengal tiger is a common animal in Sundarbans National Park. Park workers use boats to help protect the park from people who might take things from it illegally. They have offices and camps in different parts of the park to help with this work.

The park works to keep animals safe by planting trees, teaching people about taking care of nature, and digging ponds so animals can drink. They also help nearby villages by giving them ways to make money besides taking things from the park. This helps keep people safe from tigers and the tigers safe from people. The park also has a special place called the Mangrove Interpretation Centre at Sajnekhali to teach visitors about why protecting nature is important.

Park-specific information

The only way to travel through Sundarbans National Park is by boat along its many rivers. Visitors can use local boats or special tour boats like M.V. Chitrarekha and M.V. Sarbajaya. There are also places to stay on land and many tour groups that offer trips from Kolkata all year long.

Besides boat trips to see wildlife, visitors can explore watch towers like Sudhanyakali and Dobanki, bird sanctuaries such as Sajnekhali, and places like the Bhagabatpur Crocodile Project. Popular spots also include Sagar Island, Jambudweep, Haliday Island, and Kanak.

Sunderban Tiger Reserve

Cyclonic Storm Aila on 24 May 2009 (image by NASA)

The Sunderban Tiger Reserve is located in the South 24 Parganas district of West Bengal, India. It covers an area of 2585 km², with forests making up much of this space. This reserve is home to many animals, including tigers, saltwater crocodiles, turtles, birds, fishing cats, spotted deer, rhesus monkeys, and wild pigs. The area is made up of mangroves and many narrow tidal channels that create small islands. Tigers can move easily between these islands, which sometimes leads to interactions between tigers and people.

Cyclones have caused damage to the reserve in the past. In 2009, Cyclone Aila damaged field camps and villages near the reserve. In 2020, Cyclone Amphan damaged fences and buildings but did not harm the tigers. Despite these challenges, the reserve continues to work on protecting its animals and managing interactions between tigers and local communities.

Sundarban Transport

Sundarban National Park is 140 kilometres from Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport, which has flights all over the world.

You can also reach the park by train, with the closest station being Canning railway station, about 29 kilometres away. By road, you can drive from Kolkata using State Highway 3 in West Bengal.

Ecosystem valuation

In 2015, a study found that Sundarbans National Park helps people and nature in many valuable ways every year. The park’s land is very important, worth about ₹12.8 billion annually.

Some of these helpful services include protecting fish and plants, helping local jobs, keeping storms away, giving animals a home, and cleaning the air by storing carbon. All of these make the park special and important for everyone.

Main article: ecosystem services
Further information: sequestration of carbon