Home›Species›Ecosystem›SundarbansEcosystemSundarbansWetland and FreshwaterReference and ClassificationThoroughly VerifiedThe largest contiguous mangrove forest on Earth, spread across the delta where the Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghna rivers meet the Bay of Bengal, shared between Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal. Named for the sundari trees that dominate its tangled, salt tolerant forest, the Sundarbans is the only mangrove ecosystem known to support a significant population of tigers, which here swim between islands and are known to enter the water in pursuit of prey. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the forest also buffers a densely populated coastline against cyclones and storm surge, a service made more urgent as sea levels rise.FactsSundarbansConnectionsIn the Other AtlasesSourcesTake a Related QuizComments (0)Reader Challenges (0)FactsClassificationBiogeographic RealmWell-attestedIndomalayan 1Protected StatusWell-attestedManaged or Multiple-Use Protection 1Area (sq km)Well-attested10,000 1SundarbansFilter Results10 entriesCommon GroupAllCrocodilians (2)Other Bony Fish (1)Snakes (Serpentes) (1)TaxonomyAllCrocodylus (2)Elapidae (1)Mustelidae (2)Orcaella (1)Panthera (2)Prionailurus (1)HabitatAllBoreal Forest (1)Freshwater (2)Grassland (1)Mangrove Forest (3)Marine (1)Savanna (1)Temperate Forest (1)Tropical Rainforest (1)Tundra (1)Wetlands (2)Conservation StatusAllCritically Endangered (1)Endangered (2)Least Concern (1)Vulnerable (5)Everyday GroupAllCrocodilians (2)Other Bony Fish (1)Snakes (Serpentes) (1)DietAllCarnivore (8)Insectivore (1)Piscivore (1)System (Realm)AllFreshwater (3)Marine (1)Marine and Freshwater (1)Terrestrial (5)ThreatsAllBiological Resource Use (1)Pollution (1)Relationship to PeopleAllHunted or Fished (7)Natural Pest Control (1)Used in Traditional Medicine (2)Living or ExtinctAllYes (9)Where It LivesAllAfrica (1)Asia (2)Australia (2)China (1)Colombia (1)Ecuador (1)Madagascar (1)South Asia (8)Taiwan (1)Tonga (1)Show ResultsBrowseCompareSelect all 10Asian Small-clawed OtterSundarbansBengal TigerSundarbansFishing CatSundarbansIrrawaddy dolphinSundarbansKing CobraSundarbansMudskipperSundarbansMugger crocodileSundarbansSaltwater CrocodileSundarbansSmooth-coated OtterSundarbansTigerSundarbansConnectionsDemonstratesDecomposition, Natural Phenomena Well-attested Source Encyclopaedia Britannicatier 1Tides, Natural Phenomena Well-attested The Sundarbans mangrove ecosystem is structured directly by its tidal regime: its channels flood and drain twice daily, and its mangrove trees carry root and reproductive adaptations specifically suited to regular tidal inundation.Source National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administrationtier 1HostsAsian Small-clawed Otter, Species Well-attested Source Wikidata: TigerAdditional Source Sundarbans (Wikipedia)Article textBengal Tiger, Species Well-attested Source World Wildlife FundFishing Cat, Species Well-attested Source Wikidata: TigerAdditional Source Sundarbans (Wikipedia)Article textIrrawaddy dolphin, Species Well-attested Source Irrawaddy dolphin (Wikipedia)King Cobra, Species Well-attested Source Wikipedia: King cobraMudskipper, Species Well-attested Source Wikipedia: Mudskippertier 2Mugger crocodile, Species Well-attested Source Mugger crocodile (Wikipedia)Saltwater Crocodile, Species Well-attested Source World Wildlife FundSmooth-coated Otter, Species Well-attested Source Wikidata: TigerAdditional Source Sundarbans (Wikipedia)Article textTiger, Species Well-attested Source Wikidata: TigerAdditional Source Sundarbans (Wikipedia)Article textIn BiomeWetlands, Biomes Well-attested The Sundarbans is the world's largest mangrove forest, a wetland ecosystem by NOAA's own hydrology-based definition; this edge had no in-biome link at all before this pass.Source Encyclopaedia Britannicatier 1In the Other AtlasesFound InBangladeshAlso in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.IndiaAlso in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.Sources1. Encyclopaedia Britannicatier 1Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc.britannica.com/place/Sundarbans, opening definition sentenceSundarbans, vast tract of forest and saltwater swamp forming the lower part of the Padma (Ganges [Ganga])-Brahmaputra River delta in southeastern West Bengal state, northeastern India, and southern Bangladesh.Biogeographic realm: indomalayan (derived from location stated in entity description)Protected status (stated plainly in the entity own recorded description)A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the forest also buffers a densely populated coastline against cyclones and storm surge, a service made more urgent as sea levels rise.Demonstrates: DecompositionIn Biome: WetlandsView the SourceNational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administrationtier 1National Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationDemonstrates: TidesView the SourceWorld Wildlife FundWorld Wildlife FundHosts: Bengal TigerHosts: Saltwater CrocodileView the SourceWikipedia: King cobraHosts: King Cobra, Distribution and habitatQuote, Hosts: King Cobra, Distribution and habitatIn the Eastern Ghats, it occurs from Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh to coastal Odisha, and also in Bihar and southern West Bengal, especially the Sundarbans.View the SourceMugger crocodile (Wikipedia)Hosts: Mugger crocodile, Distribution and habitatQuote, Hosts: Mugger crocodile, Distribution and habitatIn Bangladesh, it was historically present in the northern parts of the Sundarbans, where four to five captive individuals survived in an artificial pond by the 1980s.View the SourceIrrawaddy dolphin (Wikipedia)Hosts: Irrawaddy dolphin, Distribution and habitatQuote, Hosts: Irrawaddy dolphin, Distribution and habitatBangladesh: ~3,500 in coastal waters of the Bay of Bengal and 451 (VU) in the brackish Sundarbans mangrove forest India: 156 in the brackish-water Chilika Lake, Odisha, as of 2021.View the SourceSundarbans (Wikipedia)Hosts: Tiger, Article textThe area is known for the Bengal tiger (Panthera tigris), as well as numerous fauna including species of birds, chital, crocodiles and snakes.Hosts: Smooth-coated Otter, Article textThere are other threatened mammal species, such as the capped langur (Semnopithecus pileatus), smooth-coated otter (Lutrogale perspicillata), Asian small-clawed otter (Aonyx cinerea) and large Indian civet (Viverra zibetha).Hosts: Asian Small-clawed Otter, Article textThere are other threatened mammal species, such as the capped langur (Semnopithecus pileatus), smooth-coated otter (Lutrogale perspicillata), Asian small-clawed otter (Aonyx cinerea) and large Indian civet (Viverra zibetha).Hosts: Fishing Cat, Article textThe forest also provides habitat for small wild cats such as the jungle cat (Felis chaus), fishing cat (Prionailurus viverrinus), and leopard cat (P.View the SourceWikipedia: Mudskippertier 2WikipediaHosts: Mudskipper, Distribution and habitatQuote, Hosts: Mudskipper, Distribution and habitatIt can be found in mangrove ecosystems and mudflats of East Africa and Madagascar east through the Sundarbans of BengalView the SourceTake a Related QuizWetlands, Reefs and Deltas: New EcosystemsIncludes a question about Sundarbans.Comments (0)No comments yet. 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