Biodiversity of Sundarban

The Sundarban is the largest contiguous block of mangrove tree-forest remaining in the perform daylight world and a large unique mangrove ecosystem, attributed as a site of national and international importance for conservation of biodiversity. This plant is an independent "Biome", enriched considering rotate biodiversities along back a pleasing variety of wild moving picture. Besides dolphins and porpoises, Sundarban mangroves are habitats of many rare and endangered animals (Batagur baska, Pelochelys bibroni, Chelonia mydas), especially it is the unique natural ablaze of the world famous Royal Bengal Tiger (Panthera tigris), spectacular spotted deer (Axix axix), jungle fowl (Gallus sp.) and rhesus monkey (Macaca mulata). The plant has a unique biota comprising 334 species of birds, 49 species of mammals, as many as 400 species of fish, 315 species of natural world and 53 species of reptiles; besides numerous species of phytoplankton, fungi, bacteria, zooplankton, benthic invertebrates, mollusks, reptiles, amphibian and mammals. Species composition and community structure varies east to west, and along the hydrological and salinity gradients. Ecologically, the plant is particularly important as a barrier to cyclones, tidal upsurges, etc. It is moreover acting as a invincible sink of unmodified capacity for absorbing CO2 and added pollutants from environment and water which makes the surrounding feel deem not guilty from pollution.
The mangroves of the Sundarban are unique to the fore compared to non-deltaic coastal mangrove forest. Unlike the latter, the Rhizophoraceae are of unaccompanied youngster importance and the prime species are sundri (Heritiera fames), from which the Sundarban takes its make known, and gewa Excoecaria agallocha. The excuse for this difference is the large freshwater impinge on in the north-eastern pension and the elevated level of the arena surface. The Sundarban can be classified as drenched tropical seral forest, comprising a mosaic of seashore reforest and tidal plant. Of the latter, there are four types: low mangrove forests, tree mangrove forests, salt-water Heritiera forests and freshwater Heritiera forests. Sundarban West occurs within the salt-water zone, which supports sparse Ecoecaria agallocha, a dense understory of Ceriops, and dense patches of hantal palm Phoenixpaludosa concerning drier soils. Dhundal and passur (Xylocalpus spp), and Bruguiera occur sporadically throughout the place. Sundri and gewa lid most of the Sundarban but Oryza coarctata, Nypa fruticans and Imperata cylindrica are prevalent happening for mud flats. Large stands of keora (Sonneratia apetala) are found around newly accreted mud banks and have the funds for important wildlife residence.
The Sundarban is the unaided surviving dwelling in the humble Bengal Basin for a variety of fauna1 species. The presence of 49 swine species has been documented. Of these, no less than five spectacular species, namely Javan rhinoceros Rhinoceros sondaicus (CR), water buffalo Bubalus bubalis (EN), swamp deer Cervus duvauceli (VU), gaur Bosfrontalis (VU) and probably hog deer Axis porcinus (LR) have become locally extirpated past the coming on of this century. The Sundarbans of Bangladesh and India uphold one of the largest populations of tiger Panthera tigris (EN), in imitation of an estimated as regards 700 (2004). These tigers are famous for the substantial number of people they slay; estimates range from twenty and eighty people per year. They are the isolated man-eating tigers left in the world, even even though they are not the by yourself tigers who stir in stuffy proximity to humans.
The varied and shimmering bird-liveliness to be seen along its waterways is one of the Sundarbans greatest attractions. A quantity 315 species have been recorded, including just approximately 95 species of waterfowl and 38 species of raptors. Among the many which may be readily seen by the visitor are no less than nine species of kingfisher, including beige-winged and stork-billed kingfishers, Pelargopsis amauropterus (NT) and P. capensis, respectively; the magnificent white-bellied sea-eagle Haliaeetus Zeucogaster which, at a density of one individual per 53. l km of waterways, is quite common; in addition to the much rarer grey-headed fish eagle Zchthyophaga ichthyaetus (NT), Pallass fish-eagle Haliaeetus Zeucoryphus and several subsidiary raptors. Herons, egrets, storks, sandpipers, whimbrel, curlew and numerous new waders are to be seen along the muddy banks and concerning the chars or sandbanks which become exposed during the sober season. There are many species of gulls and terns, especially along the coast and the larger waterways. Apart from those species particularly connected behind the sea and wetlands, there is moreover a considerable variety of plant natural world such as woodpeckers, barbets, shrikes, drongos, mynahs, minivets, babblers and many others.
Some 53 reptile species and eight of amphibians have been recorded and of these, mugger Crocodyluspalustris (VU) is now extinct, probably hence of late accrual on pinnacle of-sick-treatment, although it yet occurs in at least one location handy. Estuarine crocodile C. porosus yet survives but its numbers have been greatly depleted through hunting and trapping for skins.
Four species of marine turtle have been recorded from the place, olive ridley Lepidochelys olivacea (EN) beast the most abundant. Green turtle Chelonia mydas (EN) is scarce due to excessive fishing, even though loggerhead Caretta caretta (EN) and hawksbill Eretmochelys imbricata (CR) are not common although there have been some reported upon the beaches (Hussain and Acharya, 1994). River terrapin Batagur baska (EN) is plus expose. The eighteen recorded snake species include king cobra Ophiophagus hannah and spectacled cobra Naja naja, three vipers and six sea-snakes(S bend, 1984). Over 120 species of fish are reported to be commonly caught by notice fishermen in the Sundarban. Freshwater species are alarmingly decreased hours of hours of day by daylight. Crustacea account for by far the largest proportion of animal biomass, moreover an estimated 40 million kilograms of fiddler crabs and 100 million kilograms of mud crabs (Hendrichs, 1975). The nutrient-energetic waters of the Sundarban moreover comply a considerable harvest of shrimps, prawns and lobsters. The area supports a varied insect population including large numbers of ants, honey-bees etc. and honey and beeswax are economically each and every one important products. The insect cartoon of the Sundarban has been small studied.