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103-610: It houses Bangladesh's richest wildlife resource after Sunderbans . It is famous for its remoteness and for its rich array of wildlife, including Asian elephants , gaurs , sambar deers , barking deers , serows , Asian black bears , sun bears , leopards , clouded leopards , Asian golden cats , marbled cats , leopard cats , binturongs , western hoolock gibbons , slow lorises , crab-eating macaques , capped langurs , reticulated pythons , Arakan forest turtles , Asian giant tortoises , great hornbills and spotted owlets . There have also been uncertain reports of vagrant tigers in

206-600: A tropical moist broadleaf forest ecoregion of Bangladesh and India. It represents the brackish swamp forests that lie behind the Sundarbans Mangroves , where the salinity is more pronounced. The freshwater ecoregion is an area where the water is only slightly brackish and becomes quite fresh during the rainy season, when the freshwater plumes from the Ganges and the Brahmaputra rivers push the intruding salt water out and bring

309-889: A 2020 assessment under the IUCN Red List of Ecosystems framework. The Sundarbans mangrove forest covers an area of about 10,277 km (3,968 sq mi), of which forests in Bangladesh's Khulna Division extend over 6,017 km (2,323 sq mi) and in West Bengal's Presidency division , they extend over 4,260 km (1,640 sq mi) across the South 24 Parganas and North 24 Parganas districts . The most abundant tree species are sundri ( Heritiera fomes ) and gewa ( Excoecaria agallocha ). The forests provide habitat to 453 fauna wildlife, including 290 bird, 120 fish, 42 mammal, 35 reptile and eight amphibian species. Despite

412-778: A Tiger Restoration Landscape, contiguous with the Northern Forest Complex-Namdapha-Royal Manas Global Priority Tiger Conservation Landscape (TCL). Beside the National Forest Department, an NGO named "Nisharga", with their "Nisharga Shahayata Prakalpa", observes the park. Beside the preserving forest they provide eco-tours. Its forest type is mixed evergreen forest. In 2009 IPAC (Integrated Protected Area Co-management) project started its activities in this protected area. Sunderbans Sundarbans (pronounced / s ʌ n ˈ d ɑːr b ə n z / )

515-505: A deposit of silt. It covers 14,600 square kilometres (5,600 sq mi) of the vast Ganges-Brahmaputra Delta , finishing at the mouth of the Bay of Bengal from the northern part of Khulna District and the southern part of North 24 Parganas district in the Indian state of West Bengal. The Sundarbans freshwater swamp forests lie between the upland Lower Gangetic plains moist deciduous forests and

618-466: A hard wood, used for building houses and making boats, furniture and other things. New forest accretions is often conspicuously dominated by keora ( Sonneratia apetala ) and tidal forests. It is an indicator species for newly accreted mudbanks and is an important species for wildlife, especially spotted deer ( Axis axis ). There is abundance of dhundul or passur ( Xylocarpus granatum ) and kankra ( Bruguiera gymnorhiza ) though distribution

721-553: A mere 130 km of the ecoregion. Habitat loss in this ecoregion is so extensive, and the remaining habitat is so fragmented, that it is difficult to ascertain the composition of the original vegetation of this ecoregion. According to Champion and Seth (1968), the freshwater swamp forests are characterised by Heritiera minor , Xylocarpus molluccensis , Bruguiera conjugata , Sonneratia apetala , Avicennia officinalis , and Sonneratia caseolaris , with Pandanus tectorius , Hibiscus tiliaceus , and Nipa fruticans along

824-491: A network of canals in the Sundarbans and blackened the shoreline. The event was very threatening to trees, plankton, and vast populations of small fishes and dolphins. The event occurred at a protected Sundarbans mangrove area, home to the rare Irrawaddy and Ganges dolphins . Until 15 December 2014 only 50,000 litres (11,000 imp gal; 13,000 US gal) of oil from the area had been cleaned up by local residents,

927-525: A remarkable stability to the entire system. During each monsoon season almost all the Bengal Delta is submerged, much of it for half a year. The sediment of the lower delta plain is primarily advected inland by monsoonal coastal setup and cyclonic events. One of the greatest challenges people living on the Ganges Delta may face in coming years is the threat of rising sea levels caused mostly by subsidence in

1030-612: A selective advantage for ambush. The Indochinese leopard is distributed in Southeast Asia, where today small populations remain only in Myanmar , Thailand , Peninsular Malaysia , Cambodia and southern China . In Myanmar's Chatthin Wildlife Sanctuary , the leopard population declined so drastically between the 1940s and 1980s, that by 2000 it was estimated as being close to locally extinct . In 2015, leopards were recorded for

1133-431: A significant role in physical coastal evolution, and for wildlife a variety of habitats have developed which include beaches, estuaries , permanent and semi-permanent swamps, tidal flats, tidal creeks , coastal dunes, back dunes and levees. The mangrove vegetation itself assists in the formation of new landmass and the intertidal vegetation plays a significant role in swamp morphology. The activities of mangrove fauna in

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1236-704: A source, supply around 40% of the commercial timber. The flora of the Chittagong Hill Tracts is distinctive in character and resembles the flora of Arakan. However, the teak patches that we see throughout the hill area are planted forests, not indigenous to the area. Sangu River originates in the Arakan Hills of Myanmar and enters Bangladesh near Remarki (Thanchi upazila of Bandarban district). It flows north through Thanchi, Rowangchhari and Bandarban upazilas of Bandarban district. Then it flows west through Satkania and Banshkhali upazilas of Chittagong district to meet

1339-547: A storm barrier, shore stabiliser and energy storage unit. Last but not the least, the Sunderbans provides an aesthetic attraction for local and foreign tourists. The water houseboat in the Sundarbans is also a recent attraction among the tourists. The forest has immense protective and productive functions. Constituting 51% of the total reserved forest estate of Bangladesh, it contributes about 41% of total forest revenue and accounts for about 45% of all timber and fuel wood output of

1442-441: A total ban on all killing or capture of wildlife other than fish and some invertebrates , it appears that there is a consistent pattern of depleted biodiversity or loss of species (notably at least six mammals and one important reptile) in the 20th century, and that the "ecological quality of the original mangrove forest is declining". The endangered species that live within the Sundarbans and extinct species that used to be include

1545-437: A total ban on all killing or capture of wildlife other than fish and some invertebrates, there has been a consistent pattern of depleted biodiversity or loss of species in the 20th century, with the ecological quality of the forest declining. Despite preservation commitments from both governments, the Sundarbans are under threat from both natural and human-made causes. In 2007, the landfall of Cyclone Sidr damaged around 40% of

1648-531: A unique ecosystem and a rich wildlife habitat. According to the 2015 tiger census in Bangladesh, and the 2011 tiger census in India, the Sundarbans have about 180 tigers (106 in Bangladesh and 74 in India). Earlier estimates, based on counting unique pugmarks , were much higher. The more recent counts have used camera traps , an improved methodology that yields more accurate results. Tiger attacks were historically common in

1751-485: Is Excoecaria . As the level of land rises through accretion and the land is only occasionally flooded by tides, Heritiera fomes begins to appear. A total of 245 genera and 334 plant species were recorded by David Prain in 1903. While most of the mangroves in other parts of the world are characterised by members of the Rhizophoraceae , Avicenneaceae or Combretaceae , the mangroves of Bangladesh are dominated by

1854-465: Is "beautiful forest". Alternatively, it was proposed that the name is a corruption of Samudraban , Shomudrobôn ("Sea Forest"), or Chandra-bandhe , the name of a tribe. However, the likely origin of the word is Sundari or Sundri , the local name of the mangrove species Heritiera fomes abundant in the area. The history of human settlement in the Sundarbans area can be traced back to Mauryan era (4th-2nd century BCE). A ruin of an abandoned city

1957-518: Is 285 Sangu Mouza. Visitors enter this wildlife sanctuary mostly for nature trails, picnic sites, etc. It has only one forest range office. It is a protected area under the wildlife act of 1974. There are some Rohingya refugees in the area. Also, ethnic indigenous Mro people live around the forest area. It is situated in one of the most isolated parts of Bangladesh. Thus, it is not highly developed. It does not have correct boundary demarcations yet. There are some toilets and shops of local ethnic people in

2060-399: Is 4,143 square kilometres (1,600 sq mi), including exposed sandbars with a total area of 42 square kilometres (16 sq mi); the remaining water area of 1,874 square kilometres (724 sq mi) encompasses rivers, small streams and canals. Rivers in the Sundarbans are meeting places of salt water and freshwater. Thus, it is a region of transition between the freshwater of

2163-807: Is a mangrove area in the delta formed by the confluence of the Ganges , Brahmaputra and Meghna Rivers in the Bay of Bengal . Spread across parts of India and Bangladesh , this forest is the largest Mangrove forest in the world. It spans the area from the Baleswar River in Bangladesh 's division of Khulna to the Hooghly River in India 's state of West Bengal . It comprises closed and open mangrove forests , land used for agricultural purpose, mudflats and barren land, and

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2266-521: Is allowed and where the wildlife face few disturbances. Although the fauna of Bangladesh have diminished in recent times and the Sundarbans has not been spared from this decline, the mangrove forest retains several good wildlife habitats and their associated fauna. Of these, the tiger and dolphin are target species for planning wildlife management and tourism development. There are high profile and vulnerable mammals living in two contrasting environments, and their statuses and management are strong indicators of

2369-616: Is anticipated to further damage this unique mangrove forest according to a 2016 report by UNESCO. Climate change is expected to continue to negatively affect both natural systems and human populations in the region, resulting in further ecosystem degradation and climate migration . Experts examining the region recommend further focus on mangrove restoration and management and advocating for adaptation of human populations, through processes like managed retreat and investments in resilient infrastructure. The literal meaning of Sundarbans ( Bengali : সুন্দরবন , romanized :  Sundôrbôn )

2472-406: Is discontinuous. Among palms, Poresia coaractata , Myriostachya wightiana and golpata ( Nypa fruticans ), and among grasses spear grass ( Imperata cylindrica ) and khagra ( Phragmites karka ) are well distributed. The varieties of the forests that exist in Sundarbans include mangrove scrub, littoral forest , saltwater mixed forest , brackish water mixed forest and swamp forest . Besides

2575-496: Is equivalent to the meat required to sustain several leopards per 100 km (39 sq mi). In a highly fragmented tropical rain forest within Malaysia's capital agglomeration of Klang Valley leopard density has been estimated at 28.35 individuals per 100 km (39 sq mi), which is one of the highest leopard densities reported. As a result of rapid shrinking of the forests, individuals may have been pushed into

2678-446: Is estimated that there are now 180 Bengal tigers and about 30,000 spotted deer in the area. The tigers are known to attack and kill humans who venture into the forest, with around 40 deaths recorded in 2000–2010. Forest inventories reveal a decline in standing volume of the two main commercial mangrove species – sundari ( Heritiera spp.) and gewa ( Excoecaria agallocha ) — by 40% and 45% respectively between 1959 and 1983. Despite

2781-454: Is estimated to be about 4,260 km (1,640 sq mi), of which about 1,700 km (660 sq mi) is occupied by water bodies in the forms of river, canals and creeks of width varying from a few metres to several kilometres. The Sundarbans is intersected by a complex network of tidal waterways, mudflats and small islands of salt-tolerant mangrove forests. The interconnected network of waterways makes almost every corner of

2884-611: Is further divided into fifty-five compartments and nine blocks. There are three wildlife sanctuaries established in 1977 under the Bangladesh Wildlife (Preservation) Order, 1973 (P.O. 23 of 1973). The West Bengal part of the forest lies under the district of South & North 24 Parganas. Protected areas cover 15% of the Sundarbans mangroves including Sundarbans National Park and Sajnakhali Wildlife Sanctuary , in West Bengal, Sundarbans East , Sundarbans South and Sundarbans West Wildlife Sanctuaries in Bangladesh. In May 2019,

2987-757: Is hunting for the illegal wildlife trade , which is showing its potential to do maximum harm in minimal time: leopards are increasingly being used as substitutes for tiger parts in traditional Chinese medicine , with the price of leopard parts rising as tiger parts become scarce. Human traffic inside protected areas negatively affects leopard movements and activity. They show less diurnal activity in areas more heavily used by people. In villages located in Laos' protected areas , local people consume about 28.2 kg (62 lb) meat of deer and wild boar annually per household. This offtake amounts to 2,840 kg (6,260 lb) ungulates per 100 km (39 sq mi), which

3090-497: Is intersected by multiple tidal streams and channels. Sundarbans is home to the world's largest area of mangrove forests. Four protected areas in the Sundarbans are enlisted as UNESCO World Heritage Sites , viz. Sundarbans West (Bangladesh), Sundarbans South (Bangladesh), Sundarbans East (Bangladesh) and Sundarbans National Park (India). Despite the protected status, the Indian Sundarbans were considered endangered in

3193-739: Is one of the largest reserves for the Bengal tiger . It is also home to a variety of bird, reptile and invertebrate species, including the salt-water crocodile . The present Sundarbans National Park was declared as the core area of Sundarbans Tiger Reserve in 1973 and a wildlife sanctuary in 1977. On 4 May 1984 it was declared a National Park. Sundarbans West Wildlife Sanctuary is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Bangladesh. The region supports mangroves, including: sparse stands of Gewa ( Excoecaria agallocha ) and dense stands of Goran ( Ceriops tagal ), with discontinuous patches of Hantal palm ( Phoenix paludosa ) on drier ground, river banks and levees. The fauna of

Sangu Matamuhari - Misplaced Pages Continue

3296-535: Is situated 14 kilometres (8.7 mi) north of the Sundarbans. This project violates the environmental impact assessment guidelines for coal-based thermal power plants. Environmental activists contend that the proposed location of the Rampal Station would violate provisions of the Ramsar Convention . The government of Bangladesh rejected the allegations that the coal-based power plant would adversely affect

3399-565: Is the compartment. There are 55 compartments in four Forest Ranges and these are clearly demarcated mainly by natural features such as rivers, canals and creeks. Recently West Bengal Cabinet has approved a new district in South 24 Parganas and proposed district was named Sundarban. The Bangladesh part of the forest lies under two forest divisions, and four administrative ranges viz Chandpai (Khulna District), Sarankhola (Khulna), and Burigoalini ( Satkhira District ) and has sixteen forest stations. It

3502-530: Is the most common bear species in the area but still low numbered. A second bear species of the area is the sun bear Another large mammal, the sambar deer , are also reported in low numbers. Endangered species great hornbill are still seen flying in the sanctuary. There are some spotted owlets as well. There are reports of tigers in the mixed evergreen hill tract valleys of Sangu-Matamuhuri, which are contiguous with forests in India and Myanmar respectively. Both of these sites are within an area classified as

3605-486: Is the senior most executive officer looking over the administration of the park. The Chief Conservator of Forests (South) & Director, Sundarban Biosphere Reserve is the administrative head of the park at the local level and is assisted by a Deputy Field Director and an Assistant Field Director. The park area is divided into two ranges, overseen by range forest officers. Each range is further sub-divided into beats. The park also has floating watch stations and camps to protect

3708-606: The Bangladesh Navy , and the government of Bangladesh . Some reports indicated that the event killed some wildlife. On 13 December 2014, a dead Irrawaddy dolphin was seen floating on the Harintana-Tembulbunia channel of the Sela River. The Sundarbans plays an important role in the economy of the southwestern region of Bangladesh as well as in the national economy. It is the single largest source of forest produce in

3811-480: The Malvaceae and Euphorbiaceae . The Sundarbans flora is characterised by the abundance of sundari ( Heritiera fomes ), gewa ( Excoecaria agallocha ), goran ( Ceriops decandra ) and keora ( Sonneratia apetala ) all of which occur prominently throughout the area. The characteristic tree of the forest is the sundari ( Heritiera littoralis ), from which the name of the forest had probably been derived. It yields

3914-531: The Mughal Emperor Alamgir II and completed mapping the area in 1764. However, systematic forest management started a century later. The first Forest Management Division to have jurisdiction over the Sundarbans was established in 1869. In 1875 a large portion of the mangrove forests was declared as reserved forests under the Indian Forest Act of 1865 (Act VIII of 1865). The remaining portions of

4017-824: The Nam Et-Phou Louey National Biodiversity Conservation Area between April 2003 and June 2004. In 2010, leopards were reported to also occur in Nam Kan National Protected Area . Due to absence of records, leopards are suspected to have been extirpated in the country as of 2019. In Cambodia, leopards were recorded in deciduous dipterocarp forest in Phnom Prich Wildlife Sanctuary between December 2008 and August 2009, and in Sre Pok Wildlife Sanctuary in 2009 and 2014. In 2021, no individual

4120-505: The brackish -water Sundarbans mangroves bordering the Bay of Bengal. A victim of large-scale clearing and settlement to support one of the densest human populations in Asia, this ecoregion is under a great threat of extinction. Hundreds of years of habitation and exploitation have exacted a heavy toll on this ecoregion's habitat and biodiversity. There are two protected areas – Narendrapur (110 km ) and Ata Danga Baor (20 km ) that cover

4223-452: The estuarine crocodile and the Indian python . Indochinese leopard The Indochinese leopard ( Panthera pardus delacouri ) is a leopard subspecies native to mainland Southeast Asia and southern China . In Indochina , leopards are rare outside protected areas and threatened by habitat loss due to deforestation as well as poaching for the illegal wildlife trade. In 2016,

Sangu Matamuhari - Misplaced Pages Continue

4326-535: The mugger crocodile ( Crocodylus palustris ) started to become extinct in the Sundarbans towards the middle of the 20th century, because of extensive poaching and hunting by the British and locals. There are other threatened mammal species, such as the capped langur ( Semnopithecus pileatus ), smooth-coated otter ( Lutrogale perspicillata ), Asian small-clawed otter ( Aonyx cinerea ) and large Indian civet ( Viverra zibetha ). The physical development processes along

4429-594: The Bangladesh Sundarbans. As a result, the salinity of the Bangladesh Sundarbans is much lower than that of the Indian side. A 1990 study noted that there "is no evidence that environmental degradation in the Himalayas or a 'greenhouse' induced rise in sea level have aggravated floods in Bangladesh"; however, a 2007 report by UNESCO, "Case Studies on Climate Change and World Heritage" has stated that an anthropogenic 45-centimetre (18 in) rise in sea level (likely by

4532-511: The Bay of Bengal near Khankhanabad (Chittagong). The length of the river is 295 km. The major tributaries of the river are Chandkhali Nadi and Dolu khal. There are 7 BWDB hydrometric stations on this river and data are available from 1965. Sangu River has its source at 21°13´N and 92°37´E in the North Arakan Hills. The wildlife sanctuary was once covered with luxuriant multi-storied evergreen forest . However, due to refugee settlements,

4635-669: The Bengal tiger, estuarine crocodile , northern river terrapin ( Batagur baska ), olive ridley sea turtle , Gangetic dolphin , ground turtles, hawksbill sea turtles and king crabs (horse shoe). The Sundarbans hold globally important numbers of the critically endangered masked finfoot and are important wintering sites for the spoon-billed sandpiper and the Indian skimmer . Some species such as hog deer ( Axis porcinus ), water buffalos ( Bubalus bubalis ), barasingha or swamp deer ( Cervus duvauceli ), Javan rhinoceros ( Rhinoceros sondaicus ), Indian rhinoceros ( Rhinoceros unicornis ) and

4738-553: The Sundarbans mangroves, are important habitat for the endangered tiger. Additionally, the Mangroves species present in the Sundarban area serve a crucial function as a protective barrier for the millions of inhabitants in and around Kolkata , Khulna and Port of Mongla against the floods that result from the cyclones . It also protects from tsunami and soil erosion for the coastal population. The mangrove-dominated Ganges Delta –

4841-477: The Sundarbans – is a complex ecosystem comprising one of the three largest single tracts of mangrove forests of the world. The larger part is situated in Bangladesh, a smaller portion of it lies in India. The Indian part of the forest is estimated to be about 40 percent, while the Bangladeshi part is 60 percent. To the south the forest meets the Bay of Bengal; to the east it is bordered by the Baleswar River and to

4944-517: The Sundarbans. The forest is also suffering from increased salinity caused by sea level rise due to effects of climate change and reduced freshwater supply. In May 2009, Cyclone Aila devastated the Sundarbans with massive casualties. At least 100,000 people were affected by this cyclone. The proposed coal-fired Rampal power station situated 14 km (8.7 mi) north of the Sundarbans at Rampal Upazila of Bagerhat District in Khulna, Bangladesh,

5047-573: The Zoological Society of London (ZSL) found out that the Sunderban coast was retreating up to 200 metres (660 ft) in a year. Agricultural activities had destroyed around 17,179 hectares (42,450 acres) of mangroves within three decades (1975–2010). Shrimp cultivation had destroyed another 7,554 hectares (18,670 acres). Researches from the School of Oceanographic Studies, Jadavpur University, estimated

5150-431: The anaerobic mud to get the supply of oxygen. A 1991 study has revealed that the Indian part of the Sundarbans supports diverse biological resources including at least 150 species of commercially important fish, 270 species of birds, 42 species of mammals, 35 reptiles and 8 amphibian species, although new ones are being discovered. This represents a significant proportion of the species present in Bangladesh (i.e. about 30% of

5253-402: The annual rise in sea level to be 8 millimetres (0.31 in) in 2010. It had doubled from 3.14 millimetres (0.124 in) recorded in 2000. The rising sea levels had also submerged around 7,500 hectares (19,000 acres) of forest areas. This, coupled with an around 1.5 °C (2.7 °F) rise in surface water temperatures and increased levels of salinity have posed a problem for the survival of

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5356-429: The area , and are still frequent in the Sundarbans, with around 40 people killed in 2000–2010. Most importantly, mangroves are a transition from the marine to freshwater and terrestrial systems, and provide critical habitat for numerous species of small fish, crabs, shrimps and other crustaceans that adapt to feed and shelter, and reproduce among the tangled mass of roots, known as pneumatophores , which grow upward from

5459-656: The botanical nature of the Sundarbans has been made to keep up with these changes. Differences in vegetation have been explained in terms of freshwater and low salinity influences in the Northeast and variations in drainage and siltation . The Sundarbans has been classified as a moist tropical forest demonstrating a whole mosaic of seres , comprising primary colonisation on new accretions to more mature beach forests. Historically vegetation types have been recognised in broad correlation with varying degrees of water salinity, freshwater flushing and physiography. The Sundarbans provides

5562-408: The climatic zone. Robert Scott Troup suggested that succession began in the newly accreted land created by fresh deposits of eroded soil. The pioneer vegetation on these newly accreted sites is Sonneratia , followed by Avicennia and Nypa . As the ground is elevated as a result of soil deposition, other trees make their appearance. The most prevalent, though one of the late species to appear,

5665-433: The coast are influenced by a multitude of factors, comprising wave motions, micro and macro-tidal cycles and long shore currents typical to the coastal tract. The shore currents vary greatly along with the monsoon . These are also affected by cyclonic action. Erosion and accretion through these forces maintains varying levels, as yet not properly measured, of physiographic change whilst the mangrove vegetation itself provides

5768-429: The coastal population in cyclone -prone Bangladesh. Part of the Sundarbans is shielded from tidal inflow by leaves and there one finds villages and agriculture. During the monsoon season, the low lying agricultural lands are waterlogged and the summer crop ( kharif crop ) is therefore mainly deepwater rice or floating rice. In the dry winter season the land is normally uncropped and used for cattle grazing. However,

5871-401: The country. A number of industries (e.g., newsprint mill, match factory, hardboard, boat building, furniture making) are based on raw materials obtained from the Sundarbans ecosystem. Non-timber forest products and plantations help generate considerable employment and income opportunities for at least half a million poor coastal people. It provides natural protection to life and properties of

5974-494: The country. The forest provides raw materials for wood-based industries. In addition to traditional forest produce like timber, fuelwood, pulpwood etc., large-scale harvest of non-wood forest products such as thatching materials, honey , beeswax, fish, crustacean and mollusc resources of the forest takes place regularly. The vegetated tidal lands of the Sundarbans function as an essential habitat, produces nutrients and purifies water. The forest also traps nutrient and sediment, acts as

6077-544: The deltaic islands where low velocity of river and tidal current occurs. The flats are exposed in low tides and submerged in high tides, thus being changed morphologically even in one tidal cycle. The tides are so large that approximately one third of the land disappears and reappears every day. The interior parts of the mudflats serve as a perfect home for mangroves. Sundarbans features two ecoregions — "Sundarbans freshwater swamp forests" (IM0162) and "Sundarbans mangroves" (IM1406). The Sundarbans freshwater swamp forests are

6180-483: The end of the 21st century, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change), combined with other forms of anthropogenic stress on the Sundarbans, could lead to the destruction of 75 percent of the Sundarbans mangroves. Already, Lohachara Island and New Moore Island/South Talpatti Island have disappeared under the sea, and Ghoramara Island is half submerged. In a study conducted in 2012,

6283-599: The first time by camera traps in the hill forests of Karen State . The Northern Tenasserim Forest Complex on the Thailand-Myanmar border was considered a stronghold in 2016. In Thailand, the Indochinese leopard is present in the Western Forest Complex , Kaeng Krachan - Kui Buri and Khlong Saeng - Khao Sok protected area complexes. But since the turn of the 21st century, it has not been recorded any more in

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6386-485: The flight of human capital from the region According to a report created by UNESCO, the landfall of Cyclone Sidr damaged around 40% of Sundarbans in 2007. In August 2010, a memorandum of understanding was signed between Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) and India's state-owned National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) where they designated to implement the coal-fired Rampal power station by 2016. The proposed project, on an area of over 1,834 acres of land,

6489-420: The forest accessible by boat. The area is known for the Bengal tiger ( Panthera tigris ), as well as numerous fauna including species of birds, chital , crocodiles and snakes. The fertile soils of the delta have been subject to intensive human use for centuries, and the ecoregion has been mostly converted to intensive agriculture, with few enclaves of forest remaining. The remaining forests, taken together with

6592-601: The forest reserve by local indigenous people. It is a very remote and densely forested reserve. Thus the area remains largely undeveloped. It was established in 2010; its total area is 2,332 hectares (5,760 acres). It is under the Lama Forest Division of Bandarban. It is under the Sangu Forest Range. It is beside the Sangu River . Its physiography is categorized as Northern and Eastern Hills; its beat information

6695-451: The forest, there are extensive areas of brackish water and freshwater marshes , intertidal mudflats , sandflats , sand dunes with typical dune vegetation, open grassland on sandy soils and raised areas supporting a variety of terrestrial shrubs and trees. Since Prain's report there have been considerable changes in the status of various mangrove species and taxonomic revision of the man-grove flora. However, very little exploration of

6798-399: The forest. Severe encroachment leading to expansion of settlements and agriculture, tree poaching, hunting, shooting, collection of fuel wood, bamboo and cane and other forest products are the major causes for the exploitation of resources of the national park. On the other hand, functioning sawmills in the vicinity and unemployment are the major underlying factors for the marked dependency of

6901-511: The forests were declared a reserve forest the following year and the forest, which was so far administered by the civil administration district, was placed under the control of the Forest Department. A Forest Division, which is the basic forest management and administration unit, was created in 1879 with the headquarters in today Khulna , Bangladesh. The first management plan was written for the period 1893–1898. The Sundarban forest lies in

7004-399: The former, the Rhizophoraceae are of minor importance. Ecological succession is generally defined as the successive occupation of a site by different plant communities. In an accreting mudflats the outer community along the sequence represents the pioneer community which is gradually replaced by the next community representing the seral stages and finally by a climax community typical of

7107-414: The fringing banks. The Sundarbans Mangroves ecoregion on the coast forms the seaward fringe of the delta and is the world's largest mangrove ecosystem, with 20,400 square kilometres (7,900 sq mi) of an area covered. The dominant mangrove species Heritiera fomes is locally known as sundri or sundari . Mangrove forests are not home to a great variety of plants. They have a thick canopy, and

7210-467: The general condition and management of wildlife. Some species are protected by legislation, notably by the Bangladesh Wildlife (Preservation) Order, 1973 (P.O. 23 of 1973). The Sundarbans are an important habitat for the Bengal tiger ( Panthera tigris ). The forest also provides habitat for small wild cats such as the jungle cat ( Felis chaus ), fishing cat ( Prionailurus viverrinus ), and leopard cat ( P. bengalensis ). Several predators dwell in

7313-455: The indigenous flora and fauna. The Sundari trees are exceptionally sensitive to salinity and are being threatened with extinction. Loss of the mangrove forest will result in the loss of the protective biological shield against cyclones and tsunamis. This may put the surrounding coastal communities at high risk. Moreover, the submergence of land mass have rendered up to 6,000 families homeless and around 70,000 people are immediately threatened with

7416-544: The intense and large-scale exploitation, this still is one of the largest contiguous areas of mangroves in the world. Another threat comes from deforestation and water diversion from the rivers inland, which causes far more silt to be brought to the estuary, clogging up the waterways. The Directorate of Forest is responsible for the administration and management of Sundarban National Park in West Bengal. The Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF), Wildlife & Bio-Diversity & ex-officio Chief Wildlife Warden, West Bengal

7519-405: The intertidal mudflats develop micromorphological features that trap and hold sediments to create a substratum for mangrove seeds. The morphology and evolution of the eolian dunes is controlled by an abundance of xerophytic and halophytic plants. Creepers, grasses and sedges stabilise sand dunes and uncompacted sediments. The Sunderbans mudflats (Banerjee, 1998) are found at the estuary and on

7622-513: The labyrinth of channels, branches, and roots that poke up into the air. This is the only mangrove ecoregion that harbors the Indo-Pacific region's largest terrestrial predator, the Bengal tiger. Unlike in other habitats, tigers live here and swim among the mangrove islands, where they hunt scarce prey such as the chital deer ( Axis axis ), Indian muntjacs ( Muntiacus muntjak ), wild boar ( Sus scrofa ), and Rhesus macaque ( Macaca mulatta ). It

7725-416: The lands near the villages are irrigated from ponds that were filled up during monsoon, and vegetable crops ( Rabi crops ) can be grown here. Some farms and mangrove areas are being cleared for aquaculture . The Sundarbans has a population of over 4 million but much of it is mostly free of permanent human habitation. Despite human habitations and a century of economic exploitation of the forest well into

7828-539: The late 1940s, the Sundarbans retained a forest closure of about 70% according to the Overseas Development Administration (ODA) of the United Kingdom in 1980. The Sundarbans area is one of the most densely populated areas in the world, and the population is increasing. As a result, half of this ecoregion's mangrove forests have been cut down to supply fuelwood and other natural resources. Despite

7931-494: The local authorities in Bangladesh killed 4 tiger poachers in a shootout in the Sunderbans mangrove area where currently 114 tigers dwell. The Sundarban National Park is a National Park , Tiger Reserve , and a Biosphere Reserve in West Bengal, India. It is part of the Sundarbans on the Ganges Delta , and adjacent to the Sundarbans Reserve Forest in Bangladesh. The delta is densely covered by mangrove forests, and

8034-477: The local communities upon the park. Less stringent monitoring and a negative influence of some locally powerful individuals have further exacerbated the sustainable maintenance of the sanctuary. Sangu Matamuhari/ Sangu wildlife sanctuary is situated in Chittagong Hill Tracts area. The Chittagong Hill Tracts have been broadly classified as the tropical evergreen or semi-evergreen types, which, according to

8137-427: The north there is a sharp interface with intensively cultivated land. The natural drainage in the upstream areas, other than the main river channels, is everywhere impeded by extensive embankments and polders . The Sundarbans was originally measured (about 200 years ago) to be of about 16,700 square kilometres (6,400 sq mi). Now it has dwindled into about one-third of its original size. The total land area today

8240-973: The northern and south-central forest complexes of the country. In Hala Bala Wildlife Sanctuary on the Thai-Malaysian border, only two leopards walked past camera traps deployed between October 2004 and October 2007. In Malaysia, the leopard is present in Belum-Temengor , Taman Negara and Endau-Rompin National Parks . In April 2010, a spotted leopard was seen in a camera trap in Taman Negara National Park, where previously only black leopards were thought to occur. It has also been recorded in secondary forests in Selangor and Johor states. In Laos, 25 different leopards walked past camera traps set up over an area of 500 km (190 sq mi) in

8343-512: The population was previously thought to comprise 973–2,503 mature individuals, with only 409–1,051 breeding adults. The historical range had decreased by more than 90%. However, as of 2019, it is estimated that there are 77-766 mature Indochinese leopards and that their numbers are decreasing. Panthera pardus delacouri was described in 1930 by Reginald Innes Pocock based on a leopard skin from Annam . Pocock described an Indochinese leopard skin as almost rusty-red in ground colour but paler at

8446-728: The property from poachers. The park receives financial aid from the State Government as well as the Ministry of Environment and Forests under various Plan and Non-Plan Budgets. Additional funding is received under the Project Tiger from the Central Government. In 2001, a grant of US$ 20,000 was received as a preparatory assistance for promotion between India and Bangladesh from the World Heritage Fund . A new Khulna Forest Circle

8549-552: The proportion of black leopards increases farther south. Records from camera trapping studies conducted at 22 locations in southern Thailand and peninsular Malaysia between 1996 and 2009 show that Indochinese leopards recorded north of the Kra Isthmus are predominantly spotted. South of the Isthmus, only melanistic leopards were recorded. Melanism is quite common in dense tropical forest habitat, and black leopards are thought to have

8652-562: The region and partly by climate change. In many of the Bangladesh's mangrove wetlands, freshwater reaching the mangroves was considerably reduced from the 1970s because of diversion of freshwater in the upstream area by neighbouring India through the use of the Farakka Barrage bordering Rajshahi , Bangladesh. Also, the Bengal Basin is slowly tilting towards the east because of neo- tectonic movement, forcing greater freshwater input to

8755-506: The remaining forest in this area, so that their population is unexpectedly high. Leopards were mostly affected by construction activities conducted inside the forest. Substantial domestic skin markets exist in Myanmar, in Malaysia for traditional medicines , and in China for skins and bones, the latter particularly as a substitute for the tiger in traditional Asian medicines and tonics. In China,

8858-528: The reptiles, 37% the birds and 34% of the mammals) and includes many species which are now extinct elsewhere in the country. Two amphibians, 14 reptiles, 25 aves and five mammals are endangered. The Sundarbans is an important wintering area for migrant water birds and is an area suitable for watching and studying avifauna. The management of wildlife is restricted to, firstly, the protection of fauna from poaching, and, secondly, designation of some areas as wildlife sanctuaries where no extraction of forest produce

8961-710: The rivers originating from the Ganges and the saline water of the Bay of Bengal. The Sundarbans along the Bay of Bengal has evolved over the millennia through natural deposition of upstream sediments accompanied by intertidal segregation. The physiography is dominated by deltaic formations that include innumerable drainage lines associated with surface and subaqueous levees, splays and tidal flats. There are also marginal marshes above mean tide level, tidal sandbars and islands with their networks of tidal channels, subaqueous distal bars and proto-delta clays and silt sediments. The Sundarbans' floor varies from 0.9 to 2.11 metres (3.0 to 6.9 ft) above sea level. Biotic factors here play

9064-453: The same. This is causing the flight of human capital to the mainland, about 13% in the decade of 2000–2010. A 2015 ethnographic study, conducted by a team of researchers from Heidelberg university in Germany, found a crisis brewing in the Sunderbans. The study contended that poor planning on the part of the India and Bangladesh governments coupled with natural ecological changes were forcing

9167-421: The sanctuary is very diverse with some 40 species of mammals, 260 species of birds and 35 species of reptiles. The greatest of these being the Bengal tiger of which an estimated 350 remain in the Bangladesh Sundarbans. Other large mammals are wild boar , chital horin ( spotted deer ), Indian otter and macaque monkey . Five species of marine turtles frequent the coastal zone and two endangered reptiles are present –

9270-445: The sanctuary. The Wildlife Sanctuary does not provide any employment opportunity to the local people. The transport system is underdeveloped because of its remoteness. However, there are some private organization-conducted shops. Local ethnic people run the shops. 1200–1300 people depend on the wildlife sanctuary for resources like fuel wood, sun grass, bamboo, medicinal plant and others. There are some Rohingya refugee settlements around

9373-460: The sides. It had small rosettes that were mostly 3.8 cm × 3.8 cm (1.5 in × 1.5 in) in diameter and so closely set that it looked dark. The fur was short with less than 2.5 cm (0.98 in) long hair on the back. He commented to have seen only black leopards from Johor and other areas in the Malay Peninsula exhibited in menageries . He therefore assumed that

9476-459: The trees shed their leaves during the cold season and some in the summer, so the forest always looks green or, more correctly, the forest never loses its semi-evergreen appearance. However, this is a description of the forests of which remains roughly 70% of the area. As some portion of the forest reserves are well degraded than the past. The Indochinese leopard is very rare. However what might be leopard pugmarks are occasionally found. Also there

9579-403: The undergrowth is mostly seedlings of the mangrove trees. Besides the sundari , other tree species in the forest include Avicennia , Xylocarpus mekongensis , Xylocarpus granatum , Sonneratia apetala , Bruguiera gymnorhiza , Ceriops decandra , Aegiceras corniculatum , Rhizophora mucronata , and Nypa fruticans palms. Twenty-six of the fifty broad mangrove species found in

9682-633: The use of stockpiles of leopard bone is still permitted by the government by medicinal manufacturers, despite the domestic trade ban. In Myanmar, 215 body parts of at least 177 leopards were observed in four markets surveyed between 1991 and 2006. Among the body parts, a leopard penis and testes were openly traded, along with other parts of freshly killed animals. Three of the surveyed markets are situated on international borders with China and Thailand, and attract international buyers, although leopards are completely protected under Myanmar's national legislation. Effective implementation and enforcement of CITES

9785-526: The vast delta on the Bay of Bengal formed by the super-confluence of the Hooghly , Padma (both are distributaries of Ganges ), Brahmaputra and Meghna rivers across southern Bangladesh . The seasonally flooded Sundarbans freshwater swamp forest lies inland from the mangrove forests on the coastal fringe. The forest covers 10,277 km (3,968 sq mi) of which about 6,017 km (2,323 sq mi) are in Bangladesh. The Indian part of Sundarbans

9888-504: The vegetation of these areas has diminished. Still it is quite rich in natural resources. And flora diversity is remarkable. The most important commercial timber species of the Sangu Matamuhari is Jarul, Gamar, Garjan, Chapalish, Toon, Koroi, Civit, Champa, Simul, Chandul, etc. that used to grow to gigantic proportions. Most of the trees are of the evergreen type, whereas most of the tallest trees are deciduous and semi-deciduous. Some of

9991-413: The world grow well in the Sundarbans. The commonly identifiable vegetation types in the dense Sundarbans mangrove forests are salt water mixed forest, mangrove scrub, brackish water mixed forest, littoral forest, wet forest and wet alluvial grass forests. The Bangladesh mangrove vegetation of the Sundarbans differs greatly from other non-deltaic coastal mangrove forests and upland forests associations. Unlike

10094-464: The world's largest mangrove forest. On 9 December 2014 an oil-tanker named Southern Star VII , carrying 358,000 litres (79,000 imp gal; 95,000 US gal) of furnace oil , was sunk in the Sela river of Sundarbans after it had been hit by a cargo vessel. The oil spread over 350 km (140 sq mi) area after the clash, as of 17 December. The slick spread to a second river and

10197-523: Was a picture of a leopard, taken by a camera trap , close to Sangu Wildlife Sanctuary in 2015. Here also lives Indian Leopard too. The wildlife sanctuary was once covered with luxuriant multi-storied evergreen forest. Asian elephant herds used to roam in and around the sanctuary. However, due to settlement of refuge, the vegetation of these areas diminished and became uninhabitable for elephants, which now can be seen in Sangu Mouza only. Asian black bear

10300-558: Was carried out in three protected areas in Thailand: Wild boar, macaque and lesser mouse deer were identified as the main potential prey species for the leopard in a highly fragmented secondary forest in Malaysia's Selangor area. There are few contiguous areas left where leopards have a chance of long-term survival. They are primarily threatened by habitat destruction following large–scale deforestation , and prey depletion through illegal hunting . An increasingly growing threat

10403-534: Was created in Bangladesh back in 1993 to preserve the forest, and Chief Conservators of Forests have been posted since. The direct administrative head of the Division is the Divisional Forest Officer, based at Khulna, who has a number of professional, subprofessional and support staff and logistic supports for the implementation of necessary management and administrative activities. The basic unit of management

10506-584: Was detected in eastern Cambodia, indicating that this population was also extirpated. In southern China, camera trap surveys were conducted in 11 nature reserves between 2002 and 2009, but leopards were only recorded in Changqing National Nature Reserve in the Qinling Mountains. The leopard is extinct in Vietnam and Singapore . Since the mid-1980s, leopard-oriented field research

10609-677: Was found in the Baghmara Forest Block that is attributed to Chand Sadagar , a pre-Mauryan semi-historical figure in Bengali folklore. Archaeological excavation at Kapilmuni , Paikgacha Upazilla , north of the Sundarbans in Bangladesh, revealed ruins of urban settlement dating back to the early middle ages . During the Mughal period, forest tracts were leased out by the local rulers for establishing settlements. In 1757, The British East India Company obtained proprietary rights over Sundarbans from

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