BIODIVERSITY MAPPING

1. Shakya Ganguly
ADAMAS UNIVERSITY

2. Indian Sunderban Delta is spread
over about 9630 Square Kilometer
between 21˚40' 04” N and 22˚09'21”
N latitude, and 88˚01'56”E and
89˚06'01”E longitude.
About 4,260 Square km reserved
forest under the state Forest
Department
Sunderban National Park is 1330 Sq
Km, Sajnekhali Wildlife Sanctuary is
362 Sq Km, Lothian Wildlife
Sanctuary is 38 Sq km ,Holiday
Wildlife Sanctuary is 6 Sq Km.

3. Map of Ganga-Brahmaputra-Meghna Basin

6. (1) The core zone 1700 sq. km. Matla river in the west and
butts into Bay of Bengal
(2) Buffer zone between Matla and Thakuran under 24-
Parganas (South) Forest Division.
(3) Transition zone : Covers the balance of the Biosphere
Reserve area,

7. Penguine Dictionary:- Biodiversity can be defined as biological
diversity, the great variety of all living organisms on Earth, manifest at
three different, interlinked levels; the Genes, the Species, the
Ecosystem, the basic unit being the species.
Oxford Dictionary:- it can also be defined as ‘The varied range of
Flora and Fauna. The maintenance of biodiversity is seen to be of
critical importance, both in environmental terms and as a resource for
human survival.
In short, it is the variety of all life- starting from Genes to Species to
Ecosystems to Biome or the entire Planet. The most important part is
that it is intricately linked to Earth’s Climate and also to Climate
change.
BIODIVERSITY:- Definitions

8. BIO-DIVERSITY OF
SUNDERBAN:-
The most prominent feature of this region is the
presence of mangrove ecosystem that dominates the
entire landscape
•True Mangrove species = 26
• Mangrove associates = 29
• Back mangrove species= 29
• Family = 40
•Genera = 60

9. FLORA:-
Sundri , Gewu ,Nypa palm and several other of the 27 species of mangrove .
Baen ( Avicennia marina , A. alba, A. officinalis ) ,foreshore grassland ofOryza
coarctata (Dhani grass). Baen is gradually replaced by Genwa ( Excoecaria
agallocha ) and then Goran ( Ceriops spp .). The southern and eastern
associates include Garjan ( Rhizophora spp .), and few patches of Sundari
( Heritiera fomes ). Hental ( Phoenix spp.) Dhundul ( Xylocarpus granatum ),
Passur ( Xylocarpus mekongensis ) and Nipa fruticans (Golpata) palm swamps
are extremely limited.
:-
Fauna
58 species of mammals, 55 species of reptiles and around 248 bird species
threatened animals including Estuarine Crocodile ( Crocodilus porosus ), Fishing
Cat ( Felis viverrina ), Common otter ( Lutra lutra ), Water Monitor lizard ( Varanus
salvator ), Gangetic Dolphin ( Platinista gangetica ), Snubfin dolphin ( Orcella
brevirostris ), River Terrapin (Batagur baska ), marine turtles like Olive Ridley
( Lepidochelys olivacea ), Green Sea Turtle ( Chelonia mydas ), Hawksbill Turtle
( Eritmochelys imbricata ).)

10. Wild boars, Spotted deer, Porcupines and Rhesus macaque. Among the
reptiles, the King cobra, the common cobra, Banded krait, while the
Python, Chequered Kil-Back, Dhaman , Green Whip Snake
Herons, Egrets, Cormorants, Storks, Green Pigeons, Sand Pipers, Large
and Small Spoonbills, Darters, Seagulls, Teal, Partridges, great variety of
Wild Geese and Ducks.
Snubfin (Irrawady) and Gangetic Dolphin ,Black Finless Porpoise
(Necmeris porosus oEstuarine Crocodile, crocodiles. fish, molluscs, crabs
and prawns. mud-skipper fish such as Periopthalmus
sp. andBoleopthalmus sp. Whale Shark, Tiger Shark, Hammer Headed
Shark, Saw fish, Guitar fish ,Hilsa ilisha , Setipinna breviceps , Setipinna
taty , Gudusia chapra etc. Fiddler Crab ( Uca spp) trilobite ( Tachypleus
gigus and Carcinoscorpius rotundicauda) . Horse Shoe Crab,

13. Common Name Scientific name
chitra turtle Chitra indica
gharial Gavialis gangeticus
Javan rhinoceros Javan rhinoceros
great Indian one-horned
rhinoceros
Rhinoceros unicornis
water buffalo Bubalus bubalis
swamp deer Cervus duvaucelli
Six species are known to be disappeared from the region, these
are given in the table:

14. Sl
No Common Name Scientific name Present Status
1
White-rumped Vulture Gyps bengalensis Critically
Endangered
2
Greater Adjutant Stork Leptoptilos dubius
Endangered
3
Lesser Adjutant Stork Leptoptilos javanicus
Vulnerable
4 Greater Spotted Eagle Aquila clanga Vulnerable
5
Darter Anhinga
melanogaster
Near Threatened
6
Black-headed Ibis
Threskiornis
melanocephalus
Near Threatened
STATUS OF FAUNA

15. Sl
No Common Name Scientific name Present Status
1
Leatherback Sea Turtle Dermochelys coriacea Critically Endangered
2
Hawksbill Sea Turtle Eretmochelys imbricata
Critically Endangered
3
Olive Ridley Sea Turtle Lepidochelys olivacea
Vulnerable
4 River Terrapin Batagur baska Critically Endangered
5
Three-striped Roofed Turtle Batagur dhongoka
Endangered
6
Red-crowned Roofed Turtle
Batagur kachuga
Critically Endangered
7 Spotted Pond Turtle Geoclemys hamiltonii Vulnerable
8 Crowned-River Turtle Hardella thurjii Vulnerable
9
Narrow-headed Softshell
Turtle Chitra indica Endangered
10 Asian Giant Softshell Turtle Pelochelys cantorii Endangered
11
Indian Softshell Turtle Nilssonia gangetica
Vulnerable
12
Indian Peacock Softshell
Turtle Nilssonia hurum Vulnerable
13 Indian Rock Python Python morulus Near threatened
14 King Kobra Ophiophagus Hannah Vulnerable
Threatened or endangered fauna of Indian Sunderban
Delta Region:

16. •. Mangrove cover to protect fury of storm and natural
barrier of sea intrusion.
• Importance for Genepool for future and Bionics.
• Provides support for Drug Discovery and availability of
medical resource.
•Estuarine environment, highly productive region.
•Source of food.
•Weeds and indigenous plants absorb heavy metals from
water.
•Source of oxygen to the environment.
•Promotes eco-tourism and provides options of livelihood –
boosting the local economy.

18. 1. Quasi-natural phenomena:
• Human encroachment into wild areas-over-population.
• Resettled poor people depends intensively on Sundarban.
• Occupations like fishing, poaching, deforestation, collection of
honey, snakes, other animals etc.
• Pollution- through industrial waste, pesticide, insecticide and
domestic waste into water.
• Agriculture lands converted to aquaculture land.
• Scarcity of fresh water in dry season.
• Organizational and infrastructural deficiency .
• All continuous trampling cause reduction of wildlife habitat.

19. 2. Natural phenomena:
• Global Warming.
• Climate Change.
• Effect of natural calamities.
• Increased salinity of water and soil.
• Coastal erosion, cyclone incidences and coastal flooding.
• Studies by the School of Oceanographic Studies, Jadavpur
University (Hazra, 2010), examining existing data and satellite
maps of forested areas of the ISD estimate that there has been
a 5 percent loss of cover in the 20 years between 1989 and
2009.

20. The Sundarbans Biosphere Reserve has three main
objectives taken by the Government.
1) Restoration of the unique mangrove ecosystem of
Sundarbans and conservation of its biodiversity.
2) Development of sustainable economic, social
activities of the population living in the Biosphere
Reserve.
3) Facilitating research, monitoring, education and
training to perpetuate the achievements made.

21. Besides these, Sundarban Tiger Reserve Program
me has been successfully running by the Government
involving the local people which has to be continued
in its true spirit. Core Sundarban will be there till the
natural guards, that is the Royal Bengal Tigers are
there.
An aquarium may be formed showcasing the life
cases of biodiversity, also a museum also formed to
preserved the species to create awareness.
Promotion of eco-tourism in a organized manner to
attract the foreign tourist –a source of foreign
exchange income and boosting the local economy.

23. • River-bed gradually became higher than the nearby villages as the
siltation is happening in the river-bed. So, regular dredging at selected
places are required.
•To generate alternate livelihood like Jorry-work, cottage industries
through formation of Self-Help Group.
•Creating small ponds and holes and make canals to harvest the rain-
water.
•To improve transportation through water and road.
•To involve and motivate local people in the process of sustainable
development –monetary rewards for people involved in active role for
preservation of biodiversity.
•Formation of mobile medical camp.
Sundarban is a natural treasure house of biodiversity and it is our duty to
preserve it not only for the benefit of the people, but for entire flora and
fauna through sustainable development.

24. THANK YOU