Birds of the Sunderbans Biosphere Reserve (Zoological Survey of India)
- According to the recently published Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) report, the Indian Sundarbans, which is part of the world’s largest mangrove forest, is home to 428 species of birds.
- The “Birds of the Sundarbans Biosphere Reserve” published by ZSI is not only a document related to all birds found in the Sundarbans, but also serves as a comprehensive ‘photographic field guide’ with detailed distribution and localization data of all species in the region.Its purpose is to make information related to birds to the people.
- According to the survey, a total of 428 species of birds are found in the Sundarbans. Some of these species, such as ‘Masked Finfoot’ and ‘Buffy Fish Owl’, have been recorded only in the Sunderbans.
- Osprey, Brahmini eagles, white-bellied sea eagle warblers and kingfishers are the principal birds found here.
- The area is home to 9 of the 12 species of kingfishers found in the country, such as the Goliath heron and the spoon-billed sandpiper.
- More than 1,300 species of birds are found in India, of which about 428 species are of Sundarbans, this means that about one third of the birds of the country are found in Sundarbans.
- Mudflats (enriched with microorganisms) that gather here during tidal activities are ideal food for migratory birds.
- This publication related to the position of birds in the Sundarbans exposes the ecological aspect of the Sundarbans and also provides a detailed description of the region.
Sundarbans:
- The Sundarbans is a swampy forest area spread over an area of 4,200 sq km in both India and Bangladesh. It has got the name Sundarban due to the beautiful forests found in this region.
- In India, it is spread over about 19 development blocks in North and South 24 Parganas districts of West Bengal.
- 60% of all mangrove forests in the country are found only in the Sundarbans, which is the most diverse natural landscape.
- The Indian Sundarbans are part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site and are also designated as Ramsar site.
- Its 2,585 sq km area falls under the Sundarbans Tiger Reserve, in which around 96 Royal Bengal tigers (as per the last census in 2020) are found.
- The Royal Bengal tigers found here have adapted to the aquatic conditions here and these tigers can also swim.
Source – The Hindu
