SUNDARBANS TIGER RESERVE (STR)

Why in News:

The National Board of Wildlife (NBWL), led by the Union Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, approved the West Bengal government’s proposal to increase the area of Sundarbans Tiger Reserve (STR), making it India’s second-largest Tiger Reserve after expansion.

About Sundarbans Tiger Reserve:

• Location: It lies across the coastal belt of West Bengal. It is positioned at the southernmost edge of West Bengal’s Gangetic delta, along the Bay of Bengal coast.
• It forms part of the famous Sundarbans, the world’s largest delta, created by the confluence of the Ganga and Brahmaputra rivers, both draining into the Bay of Bengal.
• The Sundarbans is not only a Tiger Reserve, but also designated as a National Park and a Biosphere Reserve.
• It is the only mangrove forest in the world, apart from Bangladesh, that supports a viable tiger population.
• Borders:
  East – International boundary with Bangladesh, demarcated by the rivers Harinbhanga, Raimangal and Kalindi.
  South – The Bay of Bengal.
  West – The Matla River.
  North-West – Bounded by the rivers Bidya and Gomdi.
• Flora:
  – Dominated by true mangroves (major elements).
  – Includes minor mangrove elements, mangrove associates, shrubs, halophytic herbs, non-halophytic associates, weeds, epiphytes, and parasitic plants.
• Fauna:
  Flagship species – Royal Bengal Tiger (unique mangrove-adapted population).
  Mammals & aquatic fauna – Fishing cat, Gangetic dolphin, Irrawaddy dolphin.
  Reptiles – Estuarine crocodile, King cobra, water monitor lizard.
  Rich diversity of birds, amphibians, and fish species adapted to the estuarine ecosystem.