Introduction

In the south-east corner of India's state of West Bengal, the Sundarban is part of the largest riverine delta region in the world. It is a complex ecosystem which is well known for both its mangroves (one of the three largest single tracts of mangrove forest in the world) and for being the home of the Royal Bengal Tiger. It is the only mangrove forest in the world that is inhabited by tigers. The Sundarban was declared a reserved forest in 1926. The Sundarban Tiger Reserve was formed in 1973 by the Government of India under the Project Tiger scheme, to protect this highly endangered animal. In 1987 the Sundarban was recognised a World Heritage Site by UNESCO and in 1992 it was designated a Ramsar site.

The Sundarban is rich in biodiversity, which plays a significant role in physical coastal evolution. The entire riverine delta is a significant habitat for a variety of terrestrial and marine species – birds, spotted deer, crocodiles and snakes amongst them. The region has experienced a rapid depletion of forest cover and loss of faunal diversity due to human encroachment. Conservation in recent years has helped slow down such erosion of the Sundarban forest, but threats remain. Presently, the protected area is bounded by the Bay of Bengal in the south and the border with Bangladesh in the east. In the north and the west, the reserve forest is separated from human settlements by numerous lesser rivers and water channels.