Wildlife Sightings:
The Tiger Reserve is, without a doubt, one of the most popular attractions in Sunderbans National Park. The tigers here have skilfully adapted to the region's unique eco-system, and are not only excellent swimmers but also catch and eat fish. In addition to the tigers, the sanctuary is also home to other wild and marine life, including wild boars, macaques, jungle cats, chitals, monkeys, Olive Ridley turtles, dolphins, sea snakes, king cobras and estuarine crocodiles to name a few. One of the best places to see the last is at the Crocodile Sanctuary at Bhagabatpur, a small town nearby.
The Sajnekhali Bird Sanctuary, also part of Sundarbans, is a great place to see the park's amazing variety of bird life. These include ospreys, grey herons, spotted-billed pelicans, white ibis, eagles, kingfishers, falcons, herring gulls, Caspian terns, open-billed herons and many more.
A Mangrove Interpretation Centre here educates visitors about the forest's conservation requirements. To the south of Sundarbans lie the Halliday Island and Lotian Island Sanctuaries, a haven for birds. The watchtower in Netidhopani offers an excellent vantage point for surveying the surrounding mangrove jungles; a 400-year old temple also stands here. The shallow waters and beaches at Kanak are a popular resting place for Olive Ridley turtles.
Other Activities:
The islands in Sundarbans boast many beautiful, pristine beaches that present great opportunities for a relaxing getaway. The white sand beach at Frazerganj is one of the most untouched in the area and is an ideal place for unwinding. Also, nearby is the delightful beach resort of Bakkhali. Both destinations have a diverse bird population and attract many bird watchers. The charming and fun-filled beach at Ganga Sagar is also extremely popular with tourists.
The island of Kaikhali, with its lush green jungles and profusion of plants and flowers is known for its natural beauty, and makes for an excellent spot for a family picnic. Piyali, a small town on the way to Sundarbans, is a highly picturesque and romantic destination, and is great for a day trip.
Tourism info:
West Bengal Tourism Development Corporation,
3/2 BBD Bagh (East), Kolkata.
Tel: 033-248 5917, 210 3199
Field Director,
Sundarbans Tiger Reserve,
P.O Canning,
District 24 Parganas (South),
West Bengal.
Mobile: 911855280
Telefax: 03218-55280
Formed by the union of three mighty rivers 'Ganga, Brahmaputra and Meghna' the extensive Sundarbans delta covers an area of 38,500 sq km, with a major portion of it spreading into Bangladesh. The Indian part of the delta is home to the Sunderbans National Park, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987. Made up of 54 small islands, swamps and an intricate network of waterways and canals, this 2,585-sq km park is the world's largest estuarine mangrove forest.
Named after the Sundari trees, once found in large quantities here, the park features an extremely diverse array of vegetation and plant life, as well as houses an astounding variety of wildlife. It is, however, primarily renowned as the home of the endangered Royal Bengal tiger more than 200 are believed to reside here today, although the numbers are uncertain as conducting a tiger census is a very tricky task.
Foreign tourists require special permits for visiting Sundarbans and should get in touch with the tourism authorities in Kolkata for obtaining the same. |
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