Sundarban Reserved Forest,Bangladesh

Introduction:
The Sundarbans is the largest contiguous block of mangrove forest in the world. It is located on the extreme south and south west part along the Bay of Bengal of Bangladesh.Its are that a is 6017 sq km, out of that 4143 sq km (69%) is land rest 1873 sq km (31%) is water bodies.Sundarban is intermingled with numerous rivers,canals and creeks. There are 450 named rivers viz. Passur,Shibsa,Vadra, Raeymongol, Aruashibsa etc.About 3.14 million people depend on Sundarbans resources.The British Govt. assumed the propriety right of the Sundarbans in 1828.The management was placed under Forest Department in 1875 and was declared as reserved forest in 1878. The UNESCO world heritage committee declared Sundarbans as its 798th World Heritage site on the 6th December ,1997 which includes 3 wildlife sanctuaries.

Administration:
There are 4 Ranges in the sundarbans viz. Khulna,Sharronkhola,Chandpai and Satkhira Ranges. The whole division is under Khulna circle and divided into Sundarban West Forest Division and Sundarbans East Forest Division.There are 16 Revenue stations and 72 Patrol posts.

Biodiversity in the Sundarbans
Flora:
There are about 334 plant species,165 algae species and 13 orchid species are seen in the Sundarbans.Among them Sundri(Heritiera fomes),Keora(Sonneratia apetala),Baen(Avicennia officinalis),Passur(Xylocarpus meknogensis),Goran(Ceriops decandra),Kankra(Bruguira gymnorhiza),Golpata(Nypa fruticans),Singra(Cynometra ramiflora),Bhola(Hibiscus tilliaceae),Hental(Phonix paludosa),Khulshi(Aegicerus corniculatum),Gewa(Excoecaria agallocha) etc. are most important.

Fauna:
Ther are about 375 wildlife species which include 35 reptiles,315 birds,42 mammals.There are 291 (210 whitefish ,24 shrimps,14 crabes and 43 mollusks) fish species exist in Sundarbans. The major wildlife in Sundarbans include Bengal tiger (Panthera tigris tigris),Spotted deer(Axis axis),Wild Boar(Sus scrofa),Monkey(Maccaca mullata),Estuarian Crocodile(Crocodylus porosus),Python(Python molurus),Ganges River Dolphin(Platanista gangetica)and Irrawaddy Dolphin(Orcaella brevirostris).Notable birds are Mased Finfoot(Heliopais personata),Brahminy Kite (Haliastur indus)and Lesser Ajtutant(Leptoptilos javanicus) etc.
Ecotourism Sites:
The Sundarbans Reserve Forest as a whole offers a unique set of attractions to visitors from all over the world.Notable tourist attractions are the following:

• Katka
• Karamjal
• Kochikhali
• Dobeki
• Kalagachia
• Mandarbaria
• Dubla
• Harbaria
• Sekhertec

About Tiger:
There are about 440 tigers with 21 cubs exist in Sundarbans.So each tiger has a home range of 14.4 sq km.The Bengal tiger of Sundarbans is our symbol of pride and heritage.We should preserve it for us and future generation.Poet Bishnu day wrote that

"Terrible tigers in the sundarbans
Their eyes express the country's anger
Their claws so sharp and the teeth a row of scimitars
Ye crocodile -go to the dying river
The boat will be smashed to pieces
Land of the cobras
In the end strike with hood upright"

Importance of Sundarbans:
The mangrove Sundarbans forest acts as a natural barrier to cyclones and tidal bores ,and protects the densely populated agricultural areas to its north.The Sundarbans also act as the world's largest mangrove carbon sink.These are also an important spawning ground for fishes and harbor of many wild lives.

Depletion of biodiversity:
The bio-diversity of the Sundarbans has been under threat for various reasons. There has been increasing conversion of the forest land for agriculture ,mainly for paddy and shrimp farming and for human habitation. The forest's biodiversity is also threatened by unabated poaching,hunting,illegal felling of trees,disease ,unplanned and over extraction of resources , insufficient conservation effort,deterioration of law and order situation etc. Besides human activities forests are frequently destroyed by natural calamities.Apprehended sea level rise due to global warming ,which would permanently inundate coastal low-lying areas with saline water.

Prepared by:
Md. Zahidur Rahman Miah Assistant Conservator of Forests Kaptai National Park,Rangamati Bangladesh.

Kaptai National Park,Rangamati,Bangladesh

Introduction:
Kaptai National Park was established in 1999 and its area is 5,464.78 hectares(13,498.0 Acres). Prior to declaration of the national park it was Sitapahar Reserve.The original Sitapahar Reserve area was 14,448.0 acres.Out of this an area of 100 acres have been dereserved for the establishment of the industrial estate at Kaptai.It is about 57 kilometer from Chittagong city.It comprises with two Ranges namely Kaptai Range and Karnaphuli Range.Kaptai National park is being managed under CHT South Forest Division.It is historically important because of first time Teak(Tectona grandis) plantation in Bangladesh was started from this area.Its forest type is mixed evergreen forest.In 2009 IPAC(Integrated Protected Area Co-management) project started its activities in this protected area.
Animals:
Notable animals are Asian elephant(Elephas maximus),Hoolock Gibbbon(Hylobates hoolock),Phayres Leaf Monkey(Trachypithecus phayrei),Capped Leaf Monkey(Trachypithecus pileatus), Wild Boar(Sus scrofa), Sambar(Cervus unicolor), Barking Deer(Muntiacus muntjak),Rock Python(Python molurus),Green Cat Snake(Boiga cyanea) etc.
Birds:
It is a harbor of many wild birds.Notable birds are Red junglefowl(Gallus gallus),Kalij Pheasant(Lophura leucomelanos) Lineated Barbet(Magalaima lineata),Oriental Pied Hornbill(Anthracoceros albirostris),Indian Roller(Coracias benghalensis), Whitebreasted Waterhen(Amaurornis phoenicurus), Cattle Egret(Bubulcus ibis),Great Egret(Casmerodius albus),Greater Racket-Tailed Drongo(Dicrurus paradiseus),Jungle Myna(Acridotheres fuscus),Redbreasted Parakeet(Psittacula alexandri), Lesser Coucal(Centropus benghalensis) etc.
Plants:There are many important plants available in the Kaptai National Park such as
Kali Garjan(Dipterocarpus turbinatus),Gutgutia(Fortium serratum), Bohera(Terminalia belerica), Pitali(Trewia nudiflora), Pitraj(Aphanamixis polystachya), Jarul(Lagerstroemia speciosa), Chatim(Alstonia scholaris), Ashok(Saraca indica), Mehogoni(Swietenia mahagoni), Toon(Toona ciliata), Dharmara(Stereospermum personatum), Udal(Sterculia villosa), Civit(Swintonia floribunda), Bandorhola(Duabanga grandiflora),Barmala(Callicarpa arbores), Amloki(Phyllanthus embelica), Horitoki(Terminalia chebula), Dhakijam(Syzygium grande), Teak(Tectona grandis), Sonalu(Cassia fistula),Champaphul(Michelia champaca), Bonsimul(Salmalia insignis), Bura(Macaranga denticulata), Batna(Castanopsis armata), Hergoja(Dillenia pentagyna), Chalta(Dillenia indica),Chapalish(Artocarpus chaplasha),Gilla(Entada phasioloides),Wildbanana(Musa sapientum),Muli Bamboo(Melocanna baccifera),Canes and Orchids.
The objectives of the Kaptai National Park:

• to conserve biodiversity for both flora and fauna;
• to enrich biodiversity through habitat improvement and conservation activities;
• to promote environmental and socio-economic condition;
• to create recreational facilities for tourists from home and abroad;
• to encourage eco-tourism development and alleviate poverty;and
• to facilitate education and research.

Attractions in the Kaptai National Park:

• Bangchori and kallabunia Tribal Forest villages;
• Bonoful Forest Rest House;
• Kaptai Mukhbeat Forest Rest House;
• Prosanti Picnic Spot;
• Sitapahar and Rampahar;
• Ancient Forest Plantations(1920,1926,1927,1935 etc.).
  

Threats to forests and wildlife:

• Illegal settlements;
• Illegal woodcutting;
  
• Swidden/Jhum/Shifting cultivation;
• Poaching;
• Forest fragmentation by the Road networks;
• Fuel wood collection;
• Participatory monoculture forestation programme;
• Army/Naval fire arms training in the forest;
• Cattle grazing in the forest;
• Forest fires.