Sunset in the Sundarbans

Sunset in the Sundarbans

The Sundarbans, a World Heritage site, is composed of three wildlife sanctuaries, namely the Sundarban East Wildlife Sanctuary, Sundarban South Wildlife Sanctuary and Sundarban West Wildlife Sanctuary. The total area of the World Heritage Site is 1400 sq km out of which 910 km is land area and 490 km is water. A complex network of tidal waterways, mudflats and small islands with salt-tolerant mangrove forest, make up the three sanctuaries.

The area has been recognized globally, for its importance as a reservoir of biodiversity. The mangrove supports a unique assemblage of flora and fauna. Including, charismatic mega fauna like the Royal Bengal Tiger, the estuarine crocodile and the Ganges river dolphin or susu. The Sundari tree. after which the Sundarbans is named, is native to this forest.

The mangrove forest in the Sundarbans, particularly in the three wildlife sanctuaries. acts as a good nursery and potential breeding ground for shrimps, prawns and many other edible fishes. For its outstanding natural value, the World Heritage Committee of UNESCO inscribed the Sundarbans of Bangladesh in the World Heritage list in their 21^st session in 1997 and accordingly the Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh declared the Sundarbans as a World Heritage Site in 1999.