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Monday, August 8, 2011

HISTORY OF THE SUNDARBANS

The present tidal delta Sundarbans was originally occupied by vast stretches of grassland filled with saline marshes and tropical wetlands containing one of the worlds' largest stretches of biodiversity-rich forests, The archeological evidence of human civilization dates to around 400-300 BC. Post 1200 AD, the history of the Sundarbans is one of continuous conversion of forest tracts to wet-rice cultivation under the influence of pioneers professing an Islamic Sufi identity. The process of bringing virgin forest under cultivation continued unabated in the Mogul era (1575 – 1765).  

When river Ganges changed course from the original Hugli channel to combine upstream with the Brahmaputra, most parts of the 24 Parganas Sundarbans faced increased salinity and this gradually affected the flora and fauna of the area. The era also witnessed devastating cyclones, like the one in 1584, which is reported to have claimed  about 2,000,000 living creatures.

The British East India Company set up their headquarters at Calcutta in 1757 at the edge of the Sundarbans. The forests at that time stretched uninterrupted for 19,200 square kms and retained much of their splendor and diversity.
In 1928 the British Government assumed proprietary rights to the forest and, in 1830, began leasing out tracts of the forests for reclamation ~ a process which continued until 1875-76.
By 1873 nearly 5,100 square kms of forests had been converted into agricultural land and the Sundarbans area forest cover had been effectively reduced to about 14,100 square kms. In 1875-1876 the government declared un-leased forest reserved, and placed them under the jurisdiction of the Forest Department– a move which created today's Sundarbans forest.
   A variety of wildlife survived till the latter part of the 19th century despite the rapid depletion of habitat. Hunter records
"Tigers, leopards, rhinoceros, wild buffaloes, wild hogs, wild cats, barasinga, spotted deer, hog deer, barking deer, and monkeys are the principal varieties of wild animals found in Sundarban" in 1875. But the events of the next few decades led to the near complete destruction of the grasslands and rainforests, which coupled with the increase in salinity spelt the death knell for the  rhinoceros, leopard, wild buffalo, swamp deer and hog deer  Only the tiger, wild pig and spotted deer survived the mass species extinction
.
From the early of the 20th century, the Sundarban forests were managed using Curtis's working plan which focused on scientific harvesting. This plan was in effect when partition divided the administration of the Sundarbans between Bangladesh) and India. Both countries continued to protect the area after independence.
The Bangladesh forests in the 24 Parganas by then had been seriously denuded by years of felling and the lack of adequate fresh water. In 1963 and 1973 Sundarbans were allowed to clear reserve forests for  agriculture and settle in areas like Jharkhali and Herobhanga islands when refugees from Bangladesh came to India .
In 1973, management of a large portion of the Indian Sundarbans was passed on to Sundarbans Tiger Reserve, which was established in 1973 under "Project Tiger. In 1977, it declared Sundarbans a Wildlife Sanctuary and elevated parts of it to the status of a National Park on 4th May 1984. UNESCO inscribed the Indian Sundarbans on the World Heritage List in 1987 and the entire Indian Sundarbans area was recognized by UNESCO as a Global Biosphere Reserve in 2001.

SUNDARBAN HISTROY

Geographical data of Sundarban
Latitude: 25.7667
Longitude: 88.7167
Average Height: 34
Sundarbans Mangrove forest is the largest in the world, and covers areas of India and Bangladesh for more than 80 kilometers in forming Sundarbans National Park, declared a World Heritage Site by Unesco.

A third of this area is covered by water and marshes, as well Sundarbans since 1966 has been considered a sanctuary for wildlife because it is estimated that there live about 400 Royal Bengal Tigers and more than 30,000 deer in this area.



The forest lies at the feet of the Ganges and is spread across areas of Bangladesh and West Bengal, India, forming the seaward fringe of the delta. The seasonally-flooded Sundarbans freshwater swamp forests lie inland from the mangrove forests. The forest covers 10,000 km2 of which about 6,000 are in Bangladesh. It became inscribed as a UNESCO world heritage site in 1997, but while the Bangladeshi and Indian portions constitute the same continuous ecotope, these are separately listed in the UNESCO world heritage list as the Sundarbans and Sundarbans National Park, respectively. The Sundarbans is intersected by a complex network of tidal waterways, mudflats and small islands of salt-tolerant mangrove forests. The area is known for the eponymous Royal Bengal Tiger (Panthera tigris tigris), as well as numerous fauna including species of birds, spotted deer, crocodiles and snakes. It is estimated that there are now 500[citation needed] Bengal tigers and about 30,000 spotted deer in the area. Sundarbans was designated a Ramsar site on May 21, 1992. 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, together with the Sundarbans mangroves, are important habitat for the endangered tiger. Additionally, the Sundarbans serves a crucial function as a protective flood barrier for the millions of inhabitants in and around Kolkata (Calcutta) against the result of cyclone activity.

Sundarbans is home to many different species of birds, mammals, insects, reptiles and fish. It is estimated that there may be found more than 120 species of fish and over 260 species of birds and more than fifty species of reptiles and eight amphibians. Many tourists go there to see the Bengal tigers, saltwater crocodiles, leopards and snakes cobra.

ROYEL BENGAL TIGER

Bengal Tiger (bagh) one of the largest living cats on earth, belongs to family Felidae, order Carnivora. The Bengal Tiger (Panthera tigris tigris) is recognized as the national animal of Bangladesh and is renowned as the Royal Bengal Tiger. Its body is rich yellow to reddish ochre in colour with vertically arranged black stripes, more pronounced towards the rump and thighs; its underparts are whitish. Its cubs are born with stripes. The yellow tail has a series of black rings and ends up with a black tip. The backside of the ears is black and has a clearly visible white spot. The animal has round pupils, retractile claws, head-body length 140-280 cm, and a tail measuring 60-110 cm. Its height at its shoulder is 95-110 cm; males weigh 180-280 kg and females 115-185 kg; the female is smaller. The heaviest tiger that has been recorded in the Guinness Book of Records at 465 kg is the Amur (Siberian) Tiger (Panthera tigris attaica). Siberian tigers are also generally the heaviest, with adult males often weighing over 272 kg and male Sumatran tigers (P. t. sumatrae) weigh only about 113 kg. Tigers are mainly nocturnal, and normally solitary except when breeding. They prey on medium to large mammals such as deer, wild pigs and porcupines. They can bring down animals twice their size. Prey species determine how many tigers can survive in a given area. An agile animal, it swims well, and patrols its territory by marking it with droppings and other signs. Tigers are monogamous and usually give birth to 2-5 cubs after a gestation period of about 14-15 weeks; the majority of the cubs are born between February and May and nursed by their mothers for 5-6 months. The young cubs stay with their mother for a year or more. A female becomes sexually mature in 3 years and a male in 4 years. An extremely adaptable animal, P. tigris lives in a variety of habitats, from tropical forests to mangrove swamps to deciduous woodlands. Tigers can also be found in a wide range of climates and range from the jungles of the subcontinent to the snows of the Russian Far East. In Bangladesh tigers were once found in every forest, but are now confined to the mangrove forests of the Sundarbans, and are treated as a critically endangered species. Of the eight subspecies of tigers five still survive: the Bengal Tiger (Panthera tigris tigris) lives in Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Western Myanmar and Nepal; the Amur (Siberian) Tiger (P. t. attaica) in Siberia, Manchuria and Northeast China; the south China (Amoy) Tiger (P. t. ameyensis) in China; the Sumatran Tiger (P. t. sumatrae) in Sumatra; and the Indo-Chinese Tiger (P. t. corbetti) in Cambodia, China, Laos, Malaysia, Eastern Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam. Three subspecies of tigers the Javan Tiger (P. t. sondaica), the Bali Tiger (P. t. balica), and the Caspian (Turan/Hyrcanian) Tiger (P. t. virgata) have become extinct in the last 50 years. Today it is estimated that fewer than 7,000 tigers survive in the wild in the following countries: Bangladesh (300-362), Bhutan (67-81), China (110-140), India (2,500-3,750), Myanmar (230-465), Nepal (93-97), Russia (330-337), Vietnam (200), Cambodia (150-300), Laos (?), North Korea (c 10), Thailand (250-501), Malaysia (491-510), and Indonesia (400-500).

In Bangladesh habitat loss, loss of prey, poaching for skin and other body parts, and killing by man are the major threats to tigers so day by dayt Tiger has been deceasing in The Royal Bengal Tiger has been included in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) Appendix 1, and in the 3rd Schedule of the Bangladesh (Wildlife) (Preservation) (Amendment) Act, 1974.
Tiger Reserve: 
Project Tiger was implemented in 1973 and later the Sundarban Tiger Reserve was demarcated over 2,585-sq. km. The core area of 1,330 sq.km has been declared a National park and has been chosen as a world heritage site. The 1980 census put the population of tiger in this reserve close to 400. The reserve has a tiger population of 287 (in 1984 census). The only mangrove species, the tiger here has adapted well to its habitat.

TREE OF SUNDARI

Sundari Local name of the dominant plant species, Heritiera fomes, of the family Sterculiaceae, in the Sundarbans, the mangrove forests of the southern districts. The species is distributed up to about 70 per cent of the forest. The name Sundarbans is supposed to be derived from the name of the plant, Sundari. It is adapted to flourishing high tide once dominated in the forest, and to the low saline and freshwater zone. The other species of Sundari, H. littoralis, is mostly found in the western part of the Sundarbans. The tree may grow up to 25 m; trunk straight; leaves elliptic; roots with pneumatophores and blind root sucker; bell-shaped flowers are small, about 5 mm, unisexual, orange to pinkish; fruits are formed in clusters. The tree is the chief source of timber among the people of the surrounding districts of the Sundarbans; the annual production is about 250,000 cu ft; wood is hard, red in colour, used mostly in boat building, and in making hard-board, furniture, etc; wood also yields good quality charcoal. The Sundari plants are declining because of overexploitation, and also due to top dying diseases; about 50 per cent of the trees suffer from top dying diseases; increased salinity is also considered responsible for the decline.

Top dying disease name of a disease of sundri (H. fomes) trees showing symptoms from the top of the main stem of the affected plant and gradual progression of the symptoms downward. Unlike the die back symptoms of other trees, top dying affected trees do not show epichromic branches and formation of new leaves from the immediate lower part of the affected areas of the main stem. The affected plant looks like leafless bald headed one, distinguishable from the other healthy ones. This symptom is often associated with one or a few swellings on the diseased stem in the form of knots. About 18 percent of the Sundri trees of the mangrove have been affected and thus the disease poses a threat in terms of economic loss in millions of dollars. Possible reason(s) of the disease could not be ascertained during investigations carried out for the last two decades. Most of the researchers/ecologists point out to the conjugate effects of a number of ecological factors that allow infection and colonization of microbes and invasion of insect pests. Survey conducted by Overseas Development Authority (ODA) reported that almost all the compartments of the Sundarbans, are affected by the disease in various degrees. Different investigators consider the following factors to be responsible for the incidence of the top dying disease: increase in salinity of soil and water, and decrease in flow of fresh water from the upstreams; increase in siltation in the banks of the rivers and channels; decrease in mineral nutrients in the forest floor; attack by insect pests at the top of the plant or fungal/microbial infection at the root region. It has been reported that the frequency of top dying affected trees are greater at the bank of rivers, canals and creeks. It is suggested that careful extraction of top dying affected Sundri and replacement with suitable species may be useful in the management of the disease.

DEER

Deer (harin) ruminant mammal of the family Cervidae, order Artiodactyla. All members of the family have more or less similar appearance and nature. The male has typically a pair of bony outgrowths of the skull, that is to say, the antlers that are shed and regrown each year. They are at first covered by the velvet, a soft hairy skin; the skin gradually dries and is rubbed off as the antlers mature. Most deer are forest dwellers and naturally shy. Of the five species available in Bangladesh, Sambar (Cervus unicolor) is the largest. The Maya Harin or the barking deer (Muntiacus muntjac) is the smallest. Other than the spotted deer of the Sundarbans, the populations of other species have diminished alarmingly. Indiscriminate hunting, human interference, and habitat destruction have contributed to the decline of these valuable Wildlife of the country. The deer are either nocturnal or diurnal animals and feed on grasses, leaves, flowers and fruits. They live mostly in small groups. Adults become sexually mature in 1-2 years. After a gestation period of 6-8 months in different species, one young, and rarely two, are born at a time.

Barking Deer (maya harin) Is only about 40-62 cm at the shoulder. The males of Muntiacus muntjac have long tusk-like upper canines and only very small antlers on top of their long hairy bases (pedicels). The females have no antlers and the short pedicels are just bony knobs covered with tuft of hairs. Colouration varies from deep brown to yellowish or greyish brown with creamy or whitish markings, almost white on belly. The body is covered with short, soft hairs, except for the ears, which are sparsely haired. Barking deer occurs in the forests of India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, and Nepal to southern China, Thailand, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Indonesia, Sumatra, Java and Bourneo. In Bangladesh they occur in the Sundarbans, Sylhet and Chittagong Hill Tracts. Often called Muntjac, they live in woodlands and in more or less thick jungles. They usually come out to graze in the outskirts of forests or in open clearings. Nocturnal and usually solitary they can also be seen together in groups of 2-3. They move slowly and cautiously, frequently pausing and standing still. They feed on leaves, shoots, grasses, and wild fruits. From a distance, their call sounds much like the bark of a dog. When alarmed they give out a series of short cackling barks. Because of this habit, the species is popularly known as barking deer. The female makes shrill mewing sounds during the breeding season, and the male makes a belling bark. Females reach sexual maturity within a year and are polyestrous. Gestation is about 7 months. Usually 1-2 youngs are born.
Sambar (sambar) It is the largest deer in the subcontinent; its height at shoulder may reach up to 150 cm. The coat is coarse and shaggy. In stags it forms a mane about the neck and throat. In hot weather much of the hair is shed. The general colour is brown with a yellowish or greyish tinge; under parts are paler. Old stags tend to become dark, often almost black. They carry the grandest horns. The antlers are stout and rugged. Besides Bangladesh, its distribution range includes India, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, extending through the Malay countries and eastwards to the Philippines and beyond. They prefer wooded and forested areas and hillsides near cultivated areas and move in small herds of 4-20 animals. In Bangladesh they occur in the northern evergreen forests of Sylhet, Chittagong, and Chittagong Hill Tracts. Sambar power of sight is moderate and their sense of hearing acute. They are naturally shy and move silently through dense jungle. They readily go to the water and swim with their bodies submerged, only the face and antlers remain above the surface. The majority of stag cast their antlers between March and Mid-April. Their food consists of grass, leaves and various kinds of wild fruits. They feed mainly at night and retire into heavy cover at daybreak and do not usually come out till dusk. The males maintain their territory. Often stags fight to obtain sole right over some favoured area. Pairing takes place in November and December. Gestation period is about 8 months. Usually a single fawn is born, and on rare occasions twins
Spotted Deer (chitra harin) It is a medium-sized deer species, Cervus axis standing about 70-95 cm high at the shoulder. Locally this species is known as Chitra or Chital because of its rufous brown coat adorned with white spots that persist throughout life. A dark stripe runs down the back from the nape to the tip of the tail. The abdomen, rump, throat and the insides of the legs, tail and ears are white. A black band circles the muzzle. The adult weighs about 85 kg. The adult carries three-tined antlers, and the species is perhaps the most beautiful of the deer family. It occurs in Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and has also been introduced to Australia. In Bangladesh once they were found in almost all forests, but now are confined only to the Sundarbans. They are typically inhabitants of forest edges, woodlands etc. They are seen in herds of 10-30 containing two or three stags; but assemblage numbering several hundreds is not uncommon in the Sundarbans. Chitra eats grass. Their favoured forage is however, green grass less then 10 cm tall. This deer species is a prolific breeder. It has no definite mating season. Due to indiscriminate hunting for meat and fur, their population have declined alarmingly since 1950s. With the enforcement of the Wildlife Preservation Order, 1973 by the Forest Department the situation has improved considerably in recent years. The spotted deer has a gestation period of 7 month, one young is born at a time. The adults attain sexual maturity within 2-3 years.
Swamp Deer (baroshina) It is somewhat stoutly-built deer species (Cervus duvauceli) standing about 120 cm at the withers. The muzzle is rather long and narrow; and the hairs show a moderate degree of fineness, with a tendency towards a wooly nature. Colouration is light dark brown, yellowish brown or grey. The adult males of swamp deer have the mightiest antlers. The local name of the species baroshina literally means 12 pointer, but nine-point or ten-point animals have been noted. The antlers begin to drop off from the middle of February and continues up to the end of March. By April, practically all stags become hornless. Although once swamp deer occurred in Bangladesh, it is no longer found in wild in this country. They are now found in only North and Central India, and Nepal. Swamps, grassy plains, and floating grasslands are their preferred habitat, the vicinity of water being essential. In such localities they are found during the cooler months of the year in herds. The swamp deer prefers grasses, rarely leaves, fruits and flowers, and feeds mostly in the early hours of the morning and at dusk. Most of the young are born from May to July. The gestation period is about 8 months. The mother usually gives birth to a single fawn, and on rare occasions two.

CROCODILE

Crocodile (Kumir) any of the 13 species of large crocodilian reptile of the family Crocodylidae, order Crocodylia. They are mainly of tropical distribution occurring in the Old and New Worlds. The name Crocodile is sometimes used in a broad sense to refer to any crocodilian, including alligators and the gavial (=Ghadial). Bangladesh has one species of Gharial (Gavialis gangeticus), and two species of crocodiles: Estuarine Crocodile (Crocodylus porosus) and Marsh Crocodile (Crocodylus palustris).

Estuarine Crocodile (mohonar kumir) In Bangladesh Estuarine Crocodile is a critically endangered species. Its underparts in young and semi-adults are remarkably light-yellowish olive with numerous dark spots all over the upper surface of the body. Adults become somewhat darker as they grow up with. underparts uniformly light. A bumpy bony ridge can be seen in front of each eye, and extend forward nearly to the nasal swelling. Its post-occipital humps are absent or feebly developed; while its nuchal humps are arranged in a cluster. Dorsal scutes are arranged regularly in 16-17 transverse rows and 6-7 longitudinal rows. Body length may reach up to 10 m, but is usually about 5.5 m. It is more aquatic than Marsh Crocodile (C. palustris); and is seen even in the sea. Crocodiles roost during the day on well-marked trails led from water into mangrove forests and feed mainly on fish but may even hunt large animals. Mating of crocodiles start in winter and they lay eggs in May. During breeding season females make nests, usually 75 cm high and 2 m in diameter, with mounds of vegetation and mud. Number of eggs may be 20-72 (average 50); and the incubation period lasts for 80-90 days. Crocodiles live in the estuaries and coasts of the Sundarbans . Habitat loss and hunting are the major threats to their survival. They are found also in S and SE Asia, Papua New Guinea and Australia (northern part).

Marsh Crocodile In Bangladesh it is almost extinct in the wild and only a few individuals survive in a pond at the shrine of Hazrat Khan Jahan Ali at Bagerhat in the southern part of the country. Both the Marsh Crocodile and Estuarine Crocodile look similar, and it is difficult to distinguish them in the wild.

GHARIAL

Gharial one of the most primitive living crocodiles, Gavialis gangeticus, family Crocodylidae, class Reptilia. It is so-called because its head with snout is similar in appearance to that of a horse. According to some, however, the name derives from the appearance of a large hollow cartilaginous octagonal protuberance on the end of its snout near the nasal cavity, resembling an earthen pot, or Ghara. The specific trival name is due to its presence in the river Ganges. Gharial is a shy and benign aquatic reptile measuring 4 to 7 m in length. This animal is distributed in the major rivers of Indian subcontinent. In Bangladesh it was once distributed in Padma, Jamuna, Brahmaputra and their tributaries. However, the animal is now a very rare sight. Fossil forms have been described from Siwalik Hills and Narbodavalleys from Pliocene deposits. This group of animals have maintained their stature unaltered since their appearance in the Jurassic Era. Long and slender snout is a very prominent feature of Gharial. The upper jaw houses about 50 small sharp teeth, while the lower jaw has about 48. The teeth are adapted to prey on common fishes and aquatic birds. Sometimes it seizes goats and dogs which visit the bank of rivers. Forty or more eggs are deposited on the bank of river in holes scooped out and afterwards covered by sand. The young appears in March-April and measures about 40 cm including the tail. Unlike other crocodiles, Gharials spend little time basking on the land. Their limbs are not well adapted for walking on land like their cousins. Their forelimbs are conspicuously shorter and smaller than their hind limbs. All the five fingers are webbed and well-developed. The tail is robust and strong, and adapted for swimming. The Hindus used to sacrifice Gharials to the god Vishnu. It was regarded as a very sacred animal and they would not slaughter them for other purposes. With the change of their outlook, people started to poach them for their armoured skin. Ladies bag, shoes, decoration pieces, etc made of Gharial skin fetch lucrative sums abroad. As a result, their population has declined at an alarming rate. The species is now listed as critically endangered in Bangladesh.