Bangladesh Wildlife authorities are declaring three areas in the Sundarbans mangrove forest as dolphin sanctuaries to protect an endangered species of freshwater dolphins from extinction.

The forestry department took the decision after studies found three areas in the UNESCO-listed Sundarbans mangrove forest, which straddles Bangladesh and India, were home to large populations of Irrawaddy and Ganges river dolphins.

“We have decided to declare river channels at Dhangmari, Chandpai and Dudhmukhi areas in the eastern Sundarbans as dolphin sanctuaries. This will help in promoting eco-tourism as well,” Tapan Kumar Dey, senior wildlife conservation official at the forest department, said.

The dolphins, known as Irrawaddy Dolphins or locally as Sushuk, live in the southern mangrove forest, the main habitat of the endangered mammal.

Began in 2002, around 6,000 river dolphins live in the area stretching from the Irrawaddy River to southern region of Bangladesh. There are only 100 Irrawaddy dolphins in the world living outside this area, near Southeast Asia’s Mekong delta.

According to conservationists, this intricate network of rivers- Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghna is currently the only place in the world where both the Ganges River and Irrawaddy dolphins are found. Ganges river dolphins are found largely in the northern regions, and the Irrawaddy dolphins in the south.

The Bangladesh ministry of the environment will shortly issue official notification on the establishment of the sanctuaries and the waterways in these areas will be ‘clearly demarcated’ with signs to prevent local fishermen straying into the restricted areas. Although the animals are not targeted directly by fishermen, they often get entangled in fishing nets and die in dozens every year. They are also threatened by rising salinity and pollution.

What are Irrawaddy Dolphins?

Irrawaddy dolphins are found in the Indo-Pacific, from northeastern Australia in the south, north to the Philippines, and west to northeastern India.

The Irrawaddy dolphin is identified by a bulging forehead, a short beak, and 12-19 teeth on each side of each jaw. The pectoral fin is broadly triangular. There is a small dorsal fin, on the posterior end of the back.

When diving, this dolphin breathes at intervals of 70-150 seconds; the head appears first and then disappears, and then the back emerges, but the tail is rarely seen. Head and body length is 180-275 cm. Irrawaddy dolphins are slaty blue to slaty gray throughout, with the under parts slightly paler.

Irrawaddy Dolphins – Unexploited but vulnerable

Although the Irrawaddy dolphin is not directly exploited, it is exposed to incidental mortality in fisheries, the principal cause of depletion. Habitat degradation due to development of dams, deforestation and mining also continue to undermine the species to a lesser extent.

Conservation of this enigmatic mammal, which lives in both river and marine environments, will depend on devising and implementing sound solutions for replacing harmful fishing practices and halting or mitigating the impacts of habitat loss on Bangladesh ecology.

With abundant flora and fauna, Sundarban ecotourism has emerged as one of the most desired ecotourism destinations in Bangladesh. Sundarban is the world’s largest estuarine mangrove forest and the home to the majestic Bengal Tiger and the Sundari trees from which it derived it name- Sundarban. The rich variations of wildlife and maze of canals and small streams that make Sundarban ecotourism the most beautiful ecotourism spot of the world.

The Sundarban is spread over a vast area of 10,000 square km, of which 2/3rd area is in Bangladesh and rest is in India. It is the world’s biggest delta formed from the sediment deposited by the three great rivers, the Ganges, Brahmaputra and the Megha.  It consists of three wildlife sanctuaries (Sundarban East, West and South) which help in promoting ecotourism in Bangladesh. Situated at the heart of two countries- West Bengal and Bangladesh, Sundarban is also the UNESCO’s World heritage since 1997. This very fact makes it prime property for Sundarban ecotourism.

Why Sundarban Ecotourism?

Spread over an area of 2585 sq km Sundarban is considered as the biggest tiger reserve in Asia. The Sundarban Royal Tigers are famous for its ferocious nature as there have many incidence of man eating in the history. It is assumed that the salty water that the tigers drink makes them aggressive. Yet the Royal Tiger attract a huge tourist flow each year to its home netting huge revenue through Sundarban Ecotourism for the government of Bangladesh.

1. The elephant are enjoying the beauty of Sundarban ecotourism. 2. Deer which is commonly seen in the Sundarban 3. The famous mangroves of Sundarban. 4. The Royal Bengal Tiger 5. The rarest bird species which is found only in Sundarban Ecotourism.

Another prime reason for the flourishing Sundarban ecotourism scenario is the ecological diversity of the Sundarban which supports a large variety of flora and fauna. It is home to many endangered and threatened species such as the Bengal Tiger and Fishing Cat. Within the forest habitat there are about 50 species of mammals, 320 species of birds, around 60 species of reptiles, about 8-10 species of amphibians apart from freshwater sharks and dolphins inhabiting the waters and about 400 species of fishes.

What to See?

Sundarban is also famous for its mangroves. It is the world largest mangrove ecosystem of the world. Sundarban got its name from one of the most commonly found trees known as Sundari. This vast mangrove ecosystem provides the safe habitat to all the animals in this forest. It also gives support as a habitat to a variety of reptiles, amphibians and birds. Some of the more commonly found trees include Passur, Garjan, Genwa, Dhundal, Goran, Kankra, etc.

The best time to for engaging in Sundarban ecotourism is to visit the Sundarban National Park from October to March. The best way to venture into Sundarban is to travel by boats. Small launches and dinghy are easily available that will take you deep into the water channels and creeks. Some of the most famous Sundarban ecotourism spots are Katka, Hiron Point (known commonly as Nilkamal), Dublar Char, Sajnekhali Watch Tower and Tiger Point (Kachi Khali). Katka is the best stop to see tigers and bird watching. Hiron Point is a resting place and also great for spotting tigers and other wildlife. Dublar Char is an Island best suitable for fishing. Sajnekhali Watch Tower houses a museum, a Bonobibi Temple and a crocodile park within its premises. Tiger Point or Kachi Khali is another best place to see tiger.

Sundarban Ecotourism Endangered

The biggest threat to this world’s most beautiful ecotourism destination is the growing human populations that depend on the forest’s ecosystem for timber, fishing, honey and shrimp farming. All these human activities are causing the ecosystem to degrade. Moreover growth of industries on the bank of Hugli carries a huge load of pollutants to this mangrove ecosystem further endangering the very basis for Sundarban ecotourism.

As the tiger continues to face fundamental threats to their survival, but it is another country to join the global battle to save the big cat. An estimated 300 to 500 royal Bengal tigers roam the mangrove forest extended 6,000 km square in the Sunderbans region of Bangladesh.

There are no studies, but environmentalists fear that the Royal Bengal Tigers’ numbers are declining, because they are the targets of poachers and the struggle to find food for their habitat shrinking. Now the authorities are hoping that the 300-member police force was increased by dense, tropical swamps, and the Sunderbans delta is a vast Bay of Bengal will be able to prevent the smuggling of wildlife.

Equipped with modern weapons and high speed patrol boats procured with the help of a $36 million World Bank loan, Bangladesh’s new Wildlife Crime Control Unit will penetrate deep into the jungles to track threats from poachers. Those threats are growing. In February, one man was arrested with three tiger skins and other parts – the largest haul in three decades.

Bangladesh’s chief conservationist, Tapan Kumar Dey, says lack of training and equipment had hampered efforts to prevent poaching, but he hopes this will now change. He says besides policing the forests, wildlife tracking units will be established throughout the country.

“We will involve all law enforcement agencies, police, customs, border security force and other agencies in illegal trade of wildlife. We are going to post some officers in seaport, in airport and also some in the point through which illegal wildlife is trafficking throughout the region,” he said.

Conservationists say depleting food reserves also pose a huge challenge to the Royal Bengal tiger.

The head of the Wildlife Trust of Bangladesh, Anwarul Islam, says deer and other prey which tigers depend on are being increasingly hunted down by villagers on the periphery of the Sunderbans. This forces tigers to emerge out of the forest in search for food, and it is estimated that three are killed on average every year when they stray into villages.

Islam says an initiative has been launched to tranquilize tigers that enter villages and put them back into forests – a practice already followed in neighboring India. He says a 24-hour hotline has been established to alert wildlife officials and volunteers about tigers that come out of forests.

“In 29 villages around the Sunderbans we now have 200 village tiger response teams, and they are volunteers,” said Islam. “Once stray tigers come into the villages, their main job is to manage the crowd, that is the main problem. Once people know there is a tiger, thousands of people flock together, they come out with sticks and what not….We need to develop confidence among local people that forest department and their partners have capacity to manage stray tigers.”

But this is not always an easy task. In February, conservationists celebrated when, for the first time, a tiger that strayed out of the forest was tranquilized and put back into the wild. But the same animal emerged out of the forest again, and was killed by villagers.

Wildlife officials are calling for stiffer penalties and longer jail terms for killing tigers. They hope a tough, new law will be drafted this year and help curb poaching of an animal that is worth millions of dollars when it is killed.

The Sunderbans forest straddles India and Bangladesh, and is among the habitats of tigers the most densely populated in the world, with about one tiger per 20 square kilometers. Environmentalists say Bangladesh can make a decisive contribution to the fate of the tiger, whose numbers worldwide have declined to about 3200.

Turtle World is celebrated around the world every year on May 23 to increase respect and knowledge of the world `s ancient creatures. It is believed that these “soft” the animals have been around for about 200 million years.

In Hindu mythology, it is believed that Lord Vishnu reincarnated Kachhapa (turtle) has the earth on his back. In Varanasi, the creatures of nature has been assigned the task of cleaning the Ganges, India’s national river. To this end, a seven-mile stretch of the Ganga at Rajghat Ramnagar were conducted under the turtle sanctuary Ganga Action Plan (GAP). A turtle rehabilitation center was also established in Sarnath for hatching and rearing of the child.

Reports of the Division of Wildlife Kashi, was far more than 34,000 turtles are bred and released into the Ganges. “This year, we published 1154 Turtles in the Ganges, 25 April 1028 and currently hatchlings are raised at the hatchery of Sarnath, Jai Prakash, KD staff, told TOI on Monday.” These turtles will be released into the river from May to June of next year. In addition, 2000 also hatched eggs in the breeding center, “he said. He said Ganga 33,356 turtles released until 2010. In 1993, when the first phase of the GAP was completed, was 28 920 turtles `dropped ‘into the Ganges in Varanasi. With the completion of the GAP-I was the turtle breeding project also arrested in 1993. Later, the forest department re-launched in 2005.

World Bank is providing full support to Bangladesh and Nepal to protect their wildlife. Bangladesh and Nepal are getting helped by the WB for the first phase of a program on strengthening Regional Cooperation for Wildlife Protection in Asia.

The Washington-based bank has approved an amount of 36-million U.S. dollars for Bangladesh and a 3-million U.S. dollar for Nepal for their first phase of the Adaptable Program Loan, as determined in a bank statement released on the subject.

It said the project will assist the governments to enhance shared capacity, institutions, knowledge and incentives in tackling illegal wildlife trade and other selected regional conservation threats to habitats in border areas, while promoting ecotourism.

South Asia is home to 13-15 percent of the world’s biodiversity and hosts some of the most endangered species on Earth, it said adding habitats across Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal are home to over 65 percent of the 3,000 or so remaining wild tigers.

According to the World Bank, pressures such as deforestation, habitat loss, pollution, and poaching of wild animals have put the environmental and ecological balance under severe threat.

The project will tackle conservation threats to habitats in border areas and clamp down on the illegal wildlife trade of species such as the tiger, snow leopard, rhinoceros and elephant in increasingly fragmented habitats, it said.

As per the the World Bank’s statement, Bangladesh Wildlife is holding the largest remaining population of tigers in the Sundarbans & it is the largest single block of tidal halophytic mangrove forest in the world. Also the environmental and ecological balance of the country is under severe threat. Right now, studies about Bangladesh Wildlife show that 4-5% of faunal species and about 10% of floral diversity have become extinct in the last century.

A project research on Bangladesh Ecology, Bangladesh Behavior and Conservation of Some Bangladesh Wildlife is towards an end now. This research in the area of wildlife, ecology, behavior and conservation was done under the bilateral collaboration between the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) and the University Of Chittagong (UCHIT) (Chittagong, Bangladesh). It was funded by the Norwegian Cooperation Program for Development Research and Education (NUFU).

As prefixed the duration mentioned for the project was 2007-2011. They were primarily interested to look at the relationship that is there between the biodiversity & the ecology of wildlife and the effects of habitat adaptation and disintegration on conservation of species in Bangladesh. There were 4 PhD Researchers, 4 Mphil and 3 MSc students.

The most important intentions of the project were:

- To build human resource and institutional capacity in the areas of natural science, and

- To increase the ability to demonstrate a critical awareness and reflection on research-based information as a basis for problem solving and practice in professional contexts; to interpret and report research findings in areas of natural science; to formulate research questions and problems, design and carry out small scale research projects and present findings in academic conferences.

The chief doings of the project were as follows:

- To develop realistic international standard course curricula, research laboratory, organizing training and supervising for PhD and Masters study in the areas of natural science;

- To produce research based dissertation and publications and arrange seminars, symposiums and workshops or conferences to disseminate research-based information;

- To establish the linkage or networking with relevant disciplines or departments or research institutions at home and abroad.

Funding of the whole Ecology, Behavior and Conservation of Some Bangladesh Wildlife project was done by:

- Norwegian Cooperation Programme for Development Research and Education (NUFU)

- Norwegian State Educational Loan Fund (Lånekassen).

Such researches & studies create awareness not only towards some endangered Bangladesh Wildlife species which need to be conversed but also the care nature life & ecology need from human life.

Bangladesh wildlife is vey interestingly full of Bangladeshi flora & fauna & their natural habitats. Though several areas are protected under law, a large portion of Bangladeshi wildlife is threatened by the growth of human population which lead to subsequent clearing of numerous natural habitats.

Bangladesh supports a surprising wildlife, including Bengal tigers and other endangered species. Forests, jungle, mangrove, waterways, hills and plains of Bangladesh have preserved many endangered species in them.

Set between the Indian plains and the hills of Myanmar, Bangladesh has more to offer in matters of conservation than one might expect. Wet and flat it may be but there are hills in the Sylhet and Chittagong districts, rising to over 1200 metres, and a large section of the Ganges delta sprawling across the southern coastline.

Different habitats encourage a variety of fauna and flora and with the establishment of parks and reserves; conservation efforts are well under way.

Bangladesh National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries

Bangladesh boasts eight national parks and seven wildlife sanctuaries, many with recreation facilities, trails and guides, plus five conservation areas and one game reserve, Teknaf, overlooking the Bay of Bengal and known for medicinal plants.

Closest to Dhaka, the Bhawal National Park is home to peacocks, python, catfish, deer and others and protects a coppice sal forest. Himchari near Cox Bazar has grasslands and rainforest sheltering gibbons, leopards and sloth bears.In the Bay of Bengal, Nijhum Dweep adds its own contribution with some 5000 deer, clawless otters, fishing cats, turtles and dolphins.

Top of the wildlife sanctuaries is the UNESCO listed Sundarban, divided into east, west and south, across the Ganges delta spreading into India. Mudflats, islands, waterways, mangrove and freshwater swamps support crocodiles, flying fox, pangolin, chital, snakes, Ridley turtles and tigers.

Bangladesh Bengal Tigers and Endangered Species

Bangladesh has adopted the Royal Bengal tiger as its national emblem, setting up the Sundarban tiger project in 2005 to collect data, study habitat and raise conservation awareness through education. A male Bengal tiger weighs over 200 kg and hunts mostly at dusk, feeding on medium to large preys. In 2010, the Bengal tiger population was estimated below 2500 across the Indian subcontinent with over 200 in Bangladesh, mostly in the Sundarban but a few in the eastern hills.

Among other endangered species found in Bangladesh are Indian elephants, black bears and hoolock gibbons, the second largest of the species, a number of snakes, turtles and crocodiles. The blind freshwater dolphin is seen in groups of just two or three and often considered on the critical list. Rare birds include the Baer’s pochard and Palla’s fishing eagle.

Bangladesh wildlife, national parks & sanctuaries are trying their best to save these species. If they don’t then, such a large loss will usually effect the environment to a greater or lesser degree and result in environmental imbalances.

Environmental Education Center (EEC) has proposed to help the conservation of river dolphins with students is a fundamental part of the team. The goal is to reach almost 120-125 State schools, which is divided into five groups, as is the Subansiri Biswanath Ghat, Guwahati and North Guwahati, Kukurmara, Goalpara and Dibru River near Tinsukia.

Similarly, the conservation hoolock Gibbons, who is also the EEC initiative, this project supports the Union Environment and Forests. Programme Coordinator, CEE, SimAnt Kalita said: “Although the project began operations in July 2010, has not yet been officially launched” Three decades ago, the dolphins of the Ganges was one of the most commonly seen in aquatic mammals Brahmaputra waters. Today, however, the situation is not the same, deteriorated in several notches.

As the draft Gibbon, there also will based education, “says Kalita. But the students are related to the project freshwater dolphins will not be taken for field observation. The manuals will be announced that students will refer to for guidance. In addition, grants will be given by the Ministry of Environment for teachers to organize seminars to disseminate knowledge.

Gangetic dolphins (Platanista gangetica gangetica) are one of four species of dolphins Compulsory River in the world and find themselves in the Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna river systems and Karnaphuli in India, Nepal and Bangladesh. Previously, the dolphins found in abundance. However, the population of this species in steep decline in recent years. Therefore recognized the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has as an endangered species in 1996.

Because of its rapid decline, the species was classified as a kind of level I in India under the Act on the Protection of Wildlife, 1972. The Centre stated that the aquatic animals in 2009 and the national government of Assam has declared that the state aquatic animal in 2008. Fishing has been identified as one of the greatest threats to the dolphins in the Ganges Brahmaputra. On the basis of high prevalence, the protection potential and opportunities for eco-tourism dolphin, river sections, eight were identified as protected areas and community-based protected areas.

A massive dolphin survey in 2005 confirmed the existence of dolphins of the Ganges in three rivers of Assam – Brahmaputra-Mainstr ASM KULS and Subansiri. Under Kalita, identifying hot spots dolphin already been done. The idea is to preserve these pockets and increase the inhabitants.

The base of the dam in the Sunder bans has always been under the scanner. But a study by Wildlife Institute of India (WII) can actually skip the cover of the issue. If the estimate of the WII is to believe, about 15 spotted deer per square kilometer (km ²) still survive in the Sunder bans. “We have launched a study on the density of tigers and prey in Sunder bans and released the final report later this year. However, according to preliminary investigations, we fear that no more than 15 deer per square kilometer” said YV Jhala of the WII.

A recent study of wildlife Corporation of India (WPSI) said wild adult tiger needs to eat 50 Cheetal a year to survive. “A herd of 500 Cheetal is required to obtain a lasting result of a 50 tiger Cheetal. In other words, 500 Cheetal can provide a unique Cheetal 50 tigers a year for food, “said Belinda Wright, executive director of WPSI. Sunder bans Tiger Reserve (STR), spread over about 2,580 km ², of which almost 35% of the water. Taking into account the remaining forest land no more than 25,000 deer are in Sunder bans.

According to Wright, is a database of 25,000 preys Cheetal just enough for 50 tigers? The current number of cats in the Sunder bans about 50? The question remains unanswered. And where are the Cheetal disappear, and why? The mystery only intensified. According Jhala, herbivores cannot take the salt, after a point and is the main reason for the decline in prey.

Director Sunder bans Biosphere Reserve, Pradeep Vyas, said: “When we receive an official statement, we will certainly consider the matter, no study has yet been made on the basis of the Sunder bans prey, and we expect the ratio WII. “According to him, not only deer, a wild boar and monitor lizard also depends on the tiger for food. Biswajit Roy Chowdhury Going by Nature Environment and Wildlife Society, salinity is a problem not only for deer, but it is dangerous for tigers as well. “Salinity has increased nearly 15 times over the last 10 years, which is dangerous for deer and tigers, “he said.

Citing a study conducted by researchers Dr. Ulla Karanth and George Schaller, based in Bangladesh tiger expert Monirul H Khan said. “There is always a natural balance between prey and the number of tigers and 500 deer can provide enough food base as a tiger, taking into account the fact that rearing deer always offset by the killing of tigers.”Bangladesh Forest Department has recently stated that there is 70,000 to 80,000 Cheetal in their part of the Sunder bans, which according to Khan is unable to provide sufficient staple food to 419 tigers there.

The numbers game in the Sunder bans is a question of one million dollars. The 2004 census figure which says that the mangrove has 274 tigers, credible? This figure, which was contested, provides a case study. Tiger census in 2008, the number of tigers in the Sunder bans could not be included in the figures were genuine missing. Although WII is also set to come out with a preliminary report on census of tigers in other parts of the country in late November, Sunder bans is not included in this. When asked why, Jhala offered no comment.

Tushar Kanjilal, a renowned social worker who a spent long year of Sunder bans is his take.”Base of Prey is certainly reduced, but nothing concrete has ever been undertaken. But the tigers are increasingly shifting to the north from the south, which are often incidents of straying” he says. The former director of Project Tiger, PK says”. We have repeatedly said is a lack of prey base Sunder bans When the WII comes out of the final report, I think the actual number of cheetals per square mile is less than 15”.

Thousands of rare Irrawaddy dolphins have been found in Bangladeshi waters, a wildlife advocacy group said Wednesday, a hopeful sign for a vulnerable species found only in small numbers elsewhere.

However, the newly discovered population is already threatened by climate change and fishing nets, the New York-based Wildlife Conservation Society said.

Nearly 6,000 Irrawaddy dolphins, which are related to orcas or killer whales, were found living in freshwater regions of Bangladesh’s Sundarbans mangrove forest and the adjacent waters of the Bay of Bengal, the Wildlife Conservation Society announced.

Prior to this study the largest known populations of Irrawaddy dolphins numbered in the low hundreds or less, a news release from the group said.

“This discovery gives us great hope that there is a future for Irrawaddy dolphins,” said Brian D. Smith, the study’s lead author. “Bangladesh clearly serves as an important sanctuary for Irrawaddy dolphins, and conservation in this region should be a top priority.”

The Irrawaddy dolphin grows to up to 8 feet (2.5 meters) in length and frequents large rivers, estuaries, and freshwater lagoons in south and southeast Asia.

Scientists do not know exactly how many Irrawaddy dolphins remain. In 2008, they were listed as vulnerable in the International Union of Conservation of Nature’s Red List based on population declines in known populations, according to the news release.

The results of the study were made public Wednesday at the First International Conference on Marine Mammal Protected Areas in Maui, Hawaii. The news release did not say when the study was conducted but Bangladeshi researchers in the team said it was launched in 2004.

Ainun Nishat, the Bangladesh head of International Union for Conservation of Nature, said the finding was an indication that “ecology in the area is not dead yet.”

“There is plenty of food, mainly fish, in the area for the dolphins to eat,” said Nishat, who was not involved in the study. “What is now needed is to restrict fishing in the area to protect the dolphins.”

During the study, researchers encountered two dolphins that had become entangled and subsequently drowned in fishing nets — a common occurrence, according to local fishermen.

Rising sea levels caused by climate change also threaten the freshwater dolphins, the researchers said.

Wildlife Conservation Society has asked Bangladeshi authorities to establish a sanctuary for the dolphins in the Sundarbans mangrove forest.

“The sanctuary may take time,” said Mohammad Jalilur Rahman, an official at the state-run Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute. “But we are already motivating the fishermen not to harm the dolphins which get entangled in their nets.”