Sundarbans Tiger Reserve Now India’s Second-Largest at 3,629.57 sq km
Why in the news
The National Board of Wildlife, chaired by the Union Environment Minister, cleared a bigger area for Sundarbans Tiger Reserve.
Key facts
- New area 3,629.57 sq km; now second-largest, earlier seventh.
- Part of Project Tiger, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, noted for its mangrove-tiger ecosystem.
| Milestone | Year |
|---|---|
| Tiger Reserve (Project Tiger phase one) | 1973 |
| Biosphere Reserve | 1989 |
| UNESCO recognition | 2001 |
Flora and fauna
- Mangroves: Sundari, Gewa, Golpata, with pneumatophores (breathing roots).
- Royal Bengal Tiger, estuarine crocodiles, fishing cats, olive ridley turtles, spotted deer, Hilsa fish.
Exam angle
- Approving body: National Board of Wildlife.
- Breathing roots of mangroves: pneumatophores.