Sundarban is famous for which animal? The most popular animal of Sundarban National Park is the Royal Bengal Tiger. As of a 2022 survey by National Tiger Conservation Authority, the total number of tigers in Sundarbans is 100.
Let’s understand some of the important facts and habits about the Royal Bengal Tiger.
Weight
The average body weight of a male Bengal tiger is 230 kg whereas for female Bengal tiger weighs around 140kg.
Height
The royal Bengal tiger is a little smaller in size as compared to other tigers. The male tiger can be as big as 9-10 feet while the female Bengal tiger has a length of 8-9 feet.
How much food tiger eat?
The Bengal tiger can eat up to 35 Kg to 40 Kg of flesh in one go. The favorite prey of the Bengal tiger is deer and wild boar.
Places to spot the Royal Bengal tiger ?
The tigers are generally found in swamps and mangrove forest areas.
You can spot the tiger through any of the three watch towers Sajnekhali Watch Tower, Sudhyanakhali Watch Tower, and Dobanki Watch Tower (if you are lucky enough).
Important safety tips
- Always hear and follow the instructions of your guide.
- Don’t go to the forest without permission.
- Don’t roam around at night time as the tiger usually comes out for hunting.
- Always wear shoes, especially for ladies.
Threats to the Royal Bengal Tiger in Sundarbans
Deforestation, Hunting and Poaching are the biggest threat to this species in Sundarbans national park.
Government initiatives to conserve tiger
The Indian and West Bengal Goverment has taken many initiatives to conserve tiger such as Anti poaching patrol, Habitat Management and community engagement.
Other species found in Sundarbans
Mammals
- Royal Bengal Tiger (Panthera tigris tigris)
- Gangetic Dolphin (Platanista gangetica)
- Irrawaddy Dolphin (Oracella brevirostris)
- Indian Civet (Viverricula indica)
- Rhesus Macaque (Macaca mulatta)
- Wild Boar (Sus scrofa)
- Finless Porpoise (Neophocaena phocaenoides)
- Leopard Cats (Prionailurus bengalensis)
- Smooth-coated Otters (Lutrogale perspicillata)
Reptiles
- Estuarine Crocodile (Crocodylus porosus)
- King Cobra (Ophiophagus hannah)
- Common Cobra (Naja naja)
- Indian Python (Python molurus)
- Green Pit Viper (Crotalinae)
- Olive Ridley Turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea)
- Hawksbill Turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata)
- Ganges Shark (Glyphis gangeticus)
- White Spotted Shovelnose Guitarfish (Rhynchobatus djiddensis)
- River Terrapin (Batagur baska)
Avifauna (Birds)
- Crested Serpent Eagle (Spilornis cheela)
- White-bellied Sea Eagle (Haliaeetus leucogaster)
- Brahminy Kite (Haliastur indus)
- Oriental Honey Buzzard (Pernis ptilorhynchus)
- Shikra (Accipiter badius)
- Black Kite (Milvus migrans)
- Changeable Hawk-Eagle (Nisaetus cirrhatus)
- Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus)
- Amur Falcon (Falco amurensis)
- Black-shouldered Kite (Elanus axillaris)
- Pallas’s Fish Eagle (Haliaeetus leucoryphus)
- Short-toed Snake Eagle (Circaetus gallicus)
- Eurasian Marsh Harrier (Circus aeruginosus)
- Short-toed Eagle (Circaetus gallicus)
- Goliath Heron
- Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea)
- Pond Herons (Ardeola)
- Black-crowned Night Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax)
- Purple Heron (Ardea purpurea)
- Kingfishers (9 out of 12 species)
Fishes and Crustaceans
- Topshe
- Bhetki
- Pomfret
- Parshe
- Gurjali
- Hilsa
- Tiger Prawns
- Fiddler Crabs (Uca)
- Horseshoe Crab (Limulidae)