|
The reserve comprises a core zone, afforestation zone
and restoration zone and an agri-operation zone. The core
zone of 1,300 sq. km represents the National Park and
the rest of the area is used for the forestry operations.
The variety of the forests that exist in Sunderban include
mangrove scrub, littoral forest, saltwater mixed forest,
brackish water mixed forest and swamp forest
. The flora includes genwa, dhundal, passur, garjan and
kankra. The goran trees, whose average height varies between
1.8 metres and 3.6 metres, cover almost the entire region.
The tigers form the major source of attraction in the
reserve here. The 1980 census put the population of tiger
in this reserve close to 400. Besides the tiger, you can
have a look at the Gangetic dolphin, little porpoise,
fishing cat, Indian fox, jungle cat, small Indian civet,
common grey mongoose, spotted deer, wild pig, Indian flying
fox, rhesus monkey and pangolin
. Sunderban is also the breeding ground of a large variety
of birds. Out here, you get to see heron, egret, cormorant,
fishing eagle, white-bellied sea eagle, seagull, tern
and kingfisher. The migratory birds like whimprel, black-tailed
godwit, little stint, eastern knot, curlew, sandpiper,
golden plover, pintail, white-eyed pochard and whistling
teal also flock this place. The place is also home to
the wide variety of aquatic and reptile life forms that
include Olive Ridley sea turtle, hardshelled batgur terrapin,
pythons, king cobra, chequered killback, monitor and lizards.
|
