Mangrove Ecosystem of Sundarbans

Two types of biosphere are found in the Sundarbans

The Sundarbans. The Sundarbans mangrove forest, one of the largest such forests in the world (140,000 ha), lies on the delta of the Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghna rivers on the Bay of Bengal. It is adjacent to the border of India's Sundarbans World Heritage site inscribed in 1987.

Wild Animals in Sunderban National Park

Sundarban mangrove forest is the single largest home of the Royal Bengal Tiger( Panthera Tigris ).

Bengal tiger at lake Sundarban is also the only mangrove forest in the world having the tiger as its indigenous population. As per 2004 census, the tiger population in Indian Sundarban is around There are 58 species of mammals, 55 species of reptiles and around 248 bird species.

Sundarbans also harbors a good number of rare and globally threatened animals including Earnestine Crocodile ( Crocodiles porous ), Fishing Cat ( Files viverrina ), Common otter ( Lutra lutra ), Water Monitor lizard ( Var anus Salvatore ), Gangetic Dolphin ( Platinista gangetica ), Snubfin dolphin ( Orcella brevirostris ), River Terrapin (Batagur baska ), marine turtles like Olive Ridley ( Lepidochelys olivacea ), Green Sea Turtle ( Chelonia mydas ), Hawks bill Turtle ( Eritmochelys imbricata ). Six species of Shark and Ray, which are found here, are included in Schedule I of Wildlife (Protection) Act. These indicate that Sundarban Reserved Forest is a natural biodiversity hot spot.

Other mammals comprise of Wild boars, Spotted deer, Porcupines and Rhesus macaque. Among the reptiles, the King cobra, the common cobra, Banded krait, Russell's Viper comprise the community of venomous reptiles, while the Python, Chequered Kil-Back, Dhaman , Green Whip Snake and several other species constitute the non-venomous snakes.