SUNDARBAN SAFARI

About Sundarban

The Sundarbans is the largest single block of tidal halophytic mangrove forest in the world. The name Sundarban can be literally translated as "beautiful jungle" or "beautiful forest" in the Bengali language. The name may have been derived from the Sundari trees that are found in Sundarbans in large numbers.

It extends through India to Bangladesh, covering a total area of about 26,000 square kilometres—the largest single stretch of mangrove vegetation. About two-thirds of the Sunderbans falls in Bangladesh. The Indian Sunderbans measures 9630 square kilometres out of which the Reserve Forest occupies nearly 4263 square kilometres The faunal and floral treasure, the people and their culture, the unique riverine system and its serene scenic beauty attracts thousands of Indian and foreign tourists every year. It is home to 274 Royal Bengal Tigers (2004 census) which is the largest single population of the species in the world. The myths about the uncanny behaviour of the tigers of the Sunderbans has given the place an aura of mystery.