Biodiversity of the Indian Sundarbans

The Sundarbans in India and Bangladesh is a highly biodiverse region. The region is home to the charismatic Bengal tigers (Panthera tigris tigris). However, there are numerous other animal and plant species which could attract our attention to this amazingly beautiful mangrove ecosystem. Bengal tiger is not the only endangered species in the Sundarbans. There are several other endangered and threatened species such as fishing cat (Felis viverrina), estuarine Crocodile (Crocodilus porosus), Gangetic dolphin (Platanista gangetica), king cobra (Ophiophagus hannah), water monitor lizard (Varanus salvator). The region is also home to the famous river terrapin (Batagur baska) which was once thought to be extinct. The Sundarban Tiger Reserve (STR) authority is currently involved in a captive breeding project of the river terrapin. If you visit Sajnekhali Sanctuary in winter, you may find these critically endangered 60-cm long turtles in their captivity. Besides the river terrapin, another famous endangered species is Olive Ridley Turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea)  which are often referred as katha by the Sundarbans fishermen. They are found on the islands located near Bay of Bengal. These southern islands are nesting ground for these turtles. Besides these endangered turtles, one may encounter Gangetic (Platanista gangetica) and Irrawady Dolphin (Oracella brevirostris) in the crisscrossed river channels. The Gangetic Dolphins are also known as shushuk.