Sprawling across 10,000 sq km, Sunderbans National
Park has been enlisted as the world heritage site in 1987. Though more
than half of the Sunderbans, the delta region of the mighty river Ganges
is within the Indian Territory, rest of it is in Bangladesh. Sunderbans
are famous as the world's largest mangrove forests including many rare
and endangered species such as tigers, aquatic mammals, birds and
reptiles. Situated in Piyali in West Bengal, these forest reserves are
mainly known for their population of Royal Bengal Tigers and Ridley Sea
Turtles. The area is full of swamps and is interwoven with a network of
small rivers and streams. The Sundarbans National Park is so named after
the abundance of the Sundari trees found here.
Sunderbans is the delta region of the Ganges and the Brahmaputra,
consisting of an alluvial archipelago of 54 islands in the Bay of
Bengal. To the north are the Goasaba, Sandeshkali and Basanti islands,
to the south is the vast expanse of May of Bangal, to the east is
Bangladesh while to the west are the Rivers Matla and Bidya. The flora
of the park is quite astounding, especially in April and May, when the
flaming red leaves of the Genwa, the crabby red flowers of the Kankara
and the yellow flowers of Khalsi are in their full bloom. There are more
than 400 tigers in this wildlife sanctuary. One can also see the Chital
Dear and Rhesus Monkey here besides the aquatic animals such as fishes,
red Fiddler Crabs, Hermit Crabs and crocodiles. The reptiles found here
include King Cobra, Rock Python and Water Monitor.
