The Sundarban is one of the world's most distinctive mangrove ecosystems, characterised by a complex network of rivers, creeks, tidal channels and islands. The Indian Sundarban covers approximately 9,630 square kilometres and comprises 102 islands, of which 54 are inhabited and the remaining 48 form the Reserve Forest area.

The Reserve Forest covers approximately 4,263 square kilometres and represents a significant part of the mangrove ecosystem that supports a rich diversity of flora and fauna.

A Unique Tidal Mangrove Ecosystem

The Sundarban is a tidal and estuarine mangrove ecosystem, where freshwater flows interact with saline tidal waters. The resulting variations in salinity, tides and sedimentation have shaped a highly specialised ecological environment.

The Sundarban is recognised as the only mangrove forest in the world inhabited by tigers. Its mangrove landscape provides a distinctive habitat for the Royal Bengal Tiger, which has adapted to the region's tidal and saline conditions.

Tiger Conservation

Tiger conservation remains an important component of wildlife management in the Sundarban. During the 2024–25 tiger estimation exercise, 81 tigers were photo-captured in the Sundarban Tiger Reserve and 20 in the adjoining South 24 Parganas area, with one tiger common to both areas. The data was subsequently sent to the Wildlife Institute of India for further analysis.

In view of the close proximity of human settlements to tiger habitat, various measures are undertaken to reduce human-tiger encounters. Nylon-net fencing along vulnerable forest fringes is among the measures used to prevent tigers from straying into human settlements.

A Landscape of Ecological and Historical Significance

The Sundarban has undergone significant ecological changes over time. Several large mammals historically reported from the broader region, including rhinoceros and wild water buffalo, are no longer found in the Sundarban. The Royal Bengal Tiger, however, has survived and adapted to the unique tidal mangrove environment.

The name “Bengal Tiger” reflects the tiger's historical association with the Bengal region. The Sundarban today represents one of the most distinctive habitats of the tiger, demonstrating the species' remarkable adaptation to a mangrove ecosystem.

Shri Siladitya Acharya, Range Officer, Eco-Tourism, interacted with the media delegation from Telangana during their visit to the Sundarban. He briefed the journalists on the unique mangrove ecosystem of the Sundarban and its rich biodiversity, with particular focus on the conservation of the Royal Bengal Tiger.

He explained the various measures being undertaken by the Forest Department to protect tigers and their habitat, including regular patrolling, tiger monitoring, camera trapping, technology-based surveillance and measures to minimise human–tiger conflict. Eco-tourism activities are also regulated to ensure that tourism does not adversely affect the fragile ecosystem.

The conservation of the Sundarban is therefore significant not only for protecting the Royal Bengal Tiger but also for safeguarding one of the world's most important mangrove ecosystems and the ecological services it provides to the region.

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