Mesmerising Sundarban Wetland

Sundarban, which is known as world's largest delta, largest coastal wetland and largest  mangrove forest. It consists of 10,200 sq. m. mangrove forest distributed among India (4200 sq. m.) and Bangladesh (6000 sq. m.). The Sundarban Mangrove in India, covers about one million ha including the delta of the rivers Ganga, Brahmaputra and Meghna Department of Sundarban Affairs). 

Map: Sundarban wetland

This wetland provides habitat to large number of species of plants and animals. It is home to 350 species of vascular plants, 250 fishes and 300 birds, besides numerous species of phytoplankton, fungi, bacteria, zooplankton, benthic invertebrates, molluscs, reptiles, amphibians and mammals.

Mangrove forest within Sundarban

Sundarban is also habitat to many rare and endangered animals (Batagur baska, Pelochelys bibroni, Chelonia mydas), especially the Royal Bengal tiger (Panthera tigris). Javan rhino, wild buffalo, hog deer, and barking deer are now extinct from the area. Although, large areas of the Sundarban mangroves have been converted into paddy fields over the past two centuries, and more recently into shrimp farms, it is still home of  many species of plants and animals( Brij G and Malavika C, 2006).