A CONTEMPORARY STUDY OF ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES IN SUNDARBAN TIGER RESERVE: A UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE

The geographical location of the Sundarban Tiger Reserve lies between 88° 10̍ E to 89° 51̍ E and 21° 31̍ N to 22° 30̍ N, covering the major portions of the North and South 24 Parganas district of the state West Bengal. The Sundarbans is the largest mangrove ecosystem in the world and a UNESCO world heritage site known for its pristine natural forest and the associated cultural heritage. The reserve is abode to numerous flora and fauna including the apex species Royal Bengal Tiger and three other lesser cats. Moreover, it acts as the natural barrier to the various cyclones and storm surges that arise due to various weather phenomena in the Bay of Bengal. As a result of Global Warming and the resultant Climate change the frequency of such events are increasing more than any other part in the world. In recent times ground truthing of GIS data indicated that some of the areas are getting submerged into the tidal water courses due to sea level rise. Moreover increasing frequency and the impact of cyclones, rill and gully erosion, and severe landslides which are the integral parts of an active delta formation have accelerated the dynamism. It is important to note that, new land formation and frequent landslides in the riparian area may compensate for each other on a larger scale but it is difficult to modulate the impacts on the overall wildlife and the ecosystem in a specific area. To understand the past dynamics of the ecosystem and ascertaining the future of the landscape under the ensuing climatic scenario and the interventions required in the wildlife management of the reserve is discussed in the paper.
KEYWORDS: Sundarban Tiger Reserve, UNESCO, global warming, sea level rise, erosion, wildlife, elevation.