Header Ads Widget

Responsive Advertisement

Sundarbans National Park

The Sundarbans is the largest littoral mangrove belt in the world, stretching 80 km into the hinterland from the coast. The forests aren’t just mangrove swamps, they include some of the last remaining stands of the mighty jungles which once covered the Genetic plain. 

 Sundarban
The Sundarbans cover an area of nearly 3600 sq km in Bangladesh and another 2400 sq km in India.six ‘ranges’ make up the region. At partition, Bashirhat and Namkhola, Hulna and Satkhira went to Bangladesh. About one-third of the total area of this forest is covered in water-basically by river chanels, canals and tidal creeks varying in width from a few metres to five km in some places. Even the land area is subject to tidal inundation during spring tides. The Sundarbans are bound by the Bhaleswari River in the east, the Bay of Bengal to the south, Khulna Division to the north, and the Raimangal and Haringhata rivers to the west. At one time the mangrove forest extend even further. The impenetrable forest of the Sundarbans begin about five km south-west of Mongla, along the Pusur River. For about 60 km to the south there are no permanent settlements within the forest apart from a few government workforce camps housing the labour force for extraction of timber. These camps are all either built on stilts or ‘hang’ from the trees because of the soft ground and the two meters tides that course through the coastal areas. The ground is all bog, down to a depth of about three metres. The workforce numbers about three meters. The workforce number about 20,000, although that number more than doubles during April and May. The ecological balance is extremely delicate and is influenced greatly by tidal shifts which affect the salinity, and hence the growth rates in the surrounding vegetation. Deer, pigs and even crabs are predators of young trees, and cyclone wreaks havoc. The first historical record of any society inhabiting the region is from the 13th century, when many Hindus, fleeing the Muslim advance, sought refuge among the forests. They settled here, building a number of temples. They were later joined by the Khiljis who were fleeing the Afghans. There are no other signs of early civilizations. In the 17th century the Portuguese-Mogh pirates probably caused the population to leave the area, although the lack of fresh drinking water and the unhealthy climate must have been the other contributing factors. Since 2966 the Sundarbans has been a wildlife sanctuary. The government recently set aside three specific areas as tiger reserves. Besides its wildlife, the Sundarbans has great economic potential. The Divisional Forestry Office keeps a close watch on the region and supervises activates to protect the delicate ecological balance. Hunting is prohibited.Life in the Sundarbans From November to mid-February thousands of fishermen from Chittagong converge on the island of Dhubla, on the mouth of the kung or Masjat River, a Sundarbans estuary, they come with about 40 trawlers, each with 30 to 40 small boats in tow. During this period fishing is carried on ceaselessly, day and night, they reap the rich harvest of the schooling shrimps who come here to breed, but also catch fish and sharks. During the same period, thousands of low caste Hindus from Khulna, Barisal and Patuakhali come to the island for a three day festival. They set up statues of deities in makeshift temples, bathe in the Ganges and release or sacrifice goats. During the mela (fair) , sweetmeats, dried fruits. Toys, hookahs, wooden clogs and religious paraphernalia are sold in the market. A few weeks after their departure, the market a few weeks after their departure, the fishermen also head back to Chittagong, and for the next nine months the island is deserted. Fishing families who live like sea gypsies can also be seen in the Sundarbans. They have large boats with thatched roofs and cabins, and they catch fish using trained otters. Nets are placed at the mouths of streams or creeks, and the otters are released upstream and chase the fish down into the nets. Woodcutters also work in the Sundarbans during much of the year. They build temporary dwellings on the edge of the forest to a height of three metres or so for Proteciion from tigers; others live in boats. Besides producing fish in great quantities, the region produces the Sundari tree, which is in demand for shipbuilding, railway sleepers, light poles etc. Other forest products include honey, gol leaves (from a local shade tree of that name ), reeds and snails for lime. The people who gather homey, known as manuals, occasionally constitute a part of the diet of the royal Bengal tiger. The unfortunate maualis are a particular favorite of the tigers because they`re always looking up at the trees. There are many other animals in the forest, including the beautiful spotted deer. Bot aurprisingly, bird life matches the lushness of the jungle in its variety and numbers. THE SUNDARI TREEThe region derives its name from the Sundari trees that grow here to about 25m in height. These trees are very straight, have tiny branches and keep well in water – they become rock hard when submerged for a long time and are thus very suitable for building. Sundaris are felled mainly for shipbuilding, electric poles, railway sleepers and house construction. Its wood has a purple luster and accounts for about 75%of total wood extractions. The gema wood, also felid in the Sundarbans, is mainly pulped for the Khulna newsprint factory. Timber workers here are called bawalis. ROYAL BENGAL TIGERS
Royal Bengal Tiger
The royal Bengal tiger is the pride of Bangladesh. It was aptly named by the British as has been known to grow to a body le3ngth of more than two metres, has extraordinary strength and agility, and is considered to be the most majestic of tigers. It has a life span of 16 years and preys on deer, boars and fish stranded on riverbeds at low tide. It is only in old age, when it has lost its physical agility and its canine fangs, that it sometimes preys on workers in the area. They are thought to be roughly 400tigers remaining in the Sundarbans, but your chances of seeing one are extremely remote. Every year there are reports of people in the area getting eaten by tigers, so the locals are terribly afraid of them and with good reason. 1994. For example, a Dhaka newspaper reported that more than 10 people had been killed by human-eating tigers over the past year. Although they may not admit it, most guides, despite carrying rifles, are terrified of the tigers. Consequently, they’ll make considerable noise during excursions, scaring them off and virtually ensuring that you won’t encounter one. Nevertheless, there are just enough sightings to encourage visitors that they might be lucky. One group reported seeing a tiger swim right by their boat. Try to remember that it is the pristine environment rather than the wildlife that is the attraction of the area.