tiger – An Indian Bureaucrat's Diary

Travel India Sariska Tiger Reserve

Binoy Gupta — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 11:26:05 +0000

Sariska Tiger Reserve in Alwar, Rajasthan has been
in the news for the past four years – unfortunately for
the wrong reasons.

Sariska Tiger Reserve

The Sariska Tiger Reserve (866 sq. kms.) was originally a hunting preserve of the Kings of Alwar in Alwar District in the state of Rajasthan.
The area was declared a wildlife reserve in 1955.
In 1978, it was declared a Tiger Reserve and is now a part of India’s Project Tiger scheme.
It became a National Park in 1979.

The Sariska Tiger Reserve is larger than Ranthambore Tiger Reserve with similar topography, but is far less commercialized.

Sariska Tiger Reserve in the news

From the summer of 2004, there were persistent reports from people connected with tourism that no tigers were being sighted in Sariska Tiger Reserve in Rajasthan.Even more alarming was the fact that there was no other contemporary evidence (pugmarks, scratch marks on trees, etc) indicating the presence of the tiger. The Rajasthan Forest Department shrugged off any suggestions about the complete absence of tigers with a simple explanation – “the tigers had temporarily migrated outside the Reserve and would be back after the rains”.
The Project Tiger authorities endorsed the Rajasthan Forest Department’s view.In January 2005, Jay Mazoomdaar, an Indian Express journalist, broke the startling news that there were no tigers left in Sariska.
The Rajasthan Forest Department and the Project Tiger Directorate declared an “emergency tiger census” in Sariska and the Central Bureau of Investigation conducted a probe.

After a two months exercise, every one finally conceded that Sariska Tiger Reserve did not have any tiger left.

Relocation of Tigers to Sariska

But what is much more interesting, and cause for happiness for environmentalists, is that for the first time in India, the Rajasthan Government have decided to relocate tigers into the Sariska Tiger Reserve from the neighbouring Ranthambore Tiger Reserve.On 28th June 2008, one three and a half year old, male tiger, weighing 220 kgs., was tranquilised in Ranthambore Tiger Reserve and flown into Sariska Tiger Reserve (200 kms.) in an Indian Air Force helicopter.
The tiger has been temporarily kept in a 100 metres x 100 metres enclosure to help it get acclimatised in the new surroundings.
A four year old female, weighing 170 kgs., was flown in from Ranthambore on the 4th July 2008.
It has been kept in a separate enclosure.After the pair settle down, the door of the enclosure would be opened and the tigers would be allowed to wander off into the wilds.
Sariska has a rich prey base, and environment quite similar to Ranthambore Tiger Reserve.
It should be easy for the tigers to re-establish themselves.

If everything goes on well, and there is no reason why it should not,
within two years, three more tigers will be relocated to Sariska. Relocating tigers to a new habitat is being tried out in India for the first time.
If successful, this will revive the tiger population at Sariska and open up fresh opportunities to save the majestic tiger.

The Problems

Most likely, the disappearance of the tigers in 2004 was due to poaching. The other major hurdles are:
·         11 villages in the core area;
·         Heavy traffic on a portion of the Jaipur-Alwar highway that passes
        through the Sariska Tiger Reserve; and
·         Heavy traffic to the ancient temple at Pandupole – in the core forest – 22 kms. from the entrance.The authorities have already shifted one village.
Each relocated family has been paid a generous compensation of Rs 10 lakhs (earlier this was only Rs. 1 lakh).
Three more villages will be shifted soon.

The traffic on the stretch of the Jaipur-Alwar highway passing through the Sariska Tiger Reserve has already been diverted via a bye pass.Efforts are on to minimize traffic to the Pandupole temple by pursuasion.

Adverse impact on Ranthambore Tiger Reserve

There is no fear of the number of tigers in Ranthambore being adversely effected.
In fact, Ranthamore has 34 tigers and their numbers are fast increasing.
It has actually become necessary to relocate some tigers.
Moving them to Sariska is the best decision.

Satellite Surveillance

There has been some criticism that relocation of tigers has always failed, and that the relocated tigers would die.
The relocated tigers are being fitted with radio collars and their movement will be constantly monitored through satellite.
The collars, costing Rs 8 lakh each, have been purchased from a Canadian firm, Lotek.
The satellite is operated by the Argos system, supported by Nasa (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (US)), and the French space agency, CNES.
The Argos system is already monitoring more than 4,200 animals worldwide.The radio transmitters send out information in short pulses.
The pulses are picked up by the satellite which retransmits them to the Argos centres for processing.
The radio tracking will help wildlife authorities keep effective track of the movement of each tiger and prevent poaching.

Vegetation

The landscape of Sariska comprises of hills and narrow valleys of the Aravali hills.
The vegetation is scrub-thorn arid forests, dry deciduous forests, rocks and grasses.
Other Animals

Some of the other animals in the Reserve include the leopard, jungle cat, hyena, jackal, chital, sambar, carecal, langur, wild boar, four-horned deer (chowsingha) and several species of birds.In the morning and evening, the animals in Sariska head towards the many water holes, which litter the park, providing the guests their best chance of viewing animals.It is possible to book hides situated in prime spots for wildlife viewing at some of these watering holes.
What to see around

There are temples, forts and ruins in and around Sariska.
There are historical buildings associated with the Maharajas of Alwar such as the Sariska Palace (the royal hunting lodge of the former Maharaja of Alwar State Jai Singh).
The Kankwadi Fort (located near the centre of the Sariska Reserve) has a long history.
In the 17th century, Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb briefly imprisoned his brother Dara Shikoh here in the battle for succession to the Mughal throne.
There are ancient temples, such as the Neelkanth Mahadev Temple and Garh Rajor temples dating back to the 9th and 10th centuries.

Location

Sariska Tiger Reserve is situated 200 km from Delhi and 107 kms from Jaipur.
It covers an area of 800 sq km in total, with a core area of approximately 500 sq. kms.

My own view

I am delighted that the Wildlife Institute of India and officers of Rajasthan Forest Department are jointly and actively involved in this experimental project.
But there is no excuse why the two set ups could not detect the complete absence of tigers much earlier ….. and continued giving out lame explanations. Unfortunately, this is not the first relocation attempt of tigers.
In 1928, Maharajah Lakshman Singh of Dungarpur ordered the first successful relocation of a pair of tigers from the forests of Gwalior to the forests of Dungarpur where they had all been killed by hunters.
The tiger population gradually increased to 25 in 1947.

But once again, there are no tigers left in the forests of Dungarpur.
And remember, there were no radio collars, no helicopters and all the back ups available and used today.

Travel India Ranthambore – the land of the Tiger

Binoy Gupta — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 12:45:18 +0000

An Amalgam of Antiquity and Nature

How about a vacation under the shadows of one of the oldest fort in India – with tigers for company at breakfast and tea ?
Ranthambore is the place I selected.

History

The magnificent Ranthambore Fort is one of the oldest forts in India. The Fort was built by the Kachhwaha Rajputs (Chauhans) but there is no certainty about the time and who the actual founder was. Some historians tell us that it was built by King Sapaldaksha in 944 A.D. Others historians say it was built by King Jayant of the same dynasty in 1110 A.D. There are other historians who give the credit to some one else.

The Fort was at its zenith during the rule of Rana Hamir Dewa who became king in 1283 A.D. The earliest authentic literature about Ranthambore is the Hamirraso, which chronicles the reign of Rana Hamir Dewa during the 13th century.Alla-ud-din Khilji defeated Rana Hamir Dewa. Alla-ud-din Khilji was in turn defeated by the Rajputs. Akbar defeated the Rajputs in 1528. In the late 17th century, the Mughals handed over the Fort to the Maharaja of Jaipur who ruled the place from the magnificent Amer Fort, not far away, till our independence.

The Fort is majestically perched on a table land at an altitude of slightly over 700 feet. It is surrounded by virtually inaccessible fortified walls. The massive walls, having a circumference of seven kilometres, enclose an area of four and half kilometres. Inside the fort are palatial living quarters, barracks, temples, and even mosques. From the living quarters, you get a fabulous view of the Padam Talao (one of the several man made lakes inside the Park). You see crocodiles lazing on the bank of the lake; flocks of deer and other animals drinking water; and a lot of birds.

There is a spring in the Fort, the Guptaganga, which is a perennial source of water. From the Fort, you can see miles and miles all around. It is impossible to approach the area unseen. This explains why this place was selected for the Fort. As if to make the entry still more difficult, the Fort is strategically located in the middle of the Ranthambore National Park.
This is one of the few forts and monuments anywhere, where there are no guides and no entry fee.

National Park

The Ranthambore National Park, which surrounds the Fort, is famous for its tigers. The tigers here have provided the world with ninety five percent of all published photographs of tigers. Ranthambore forest was the private hunting resort of the Maharaja of Jaipur. It was declared the Sawai Madhopur Wildlife Sanctuary in 1955.

But the Maharaja of Jaipur was permitted to hunt in the Sanctuary till the 1970s. Hunting was totally stopped in 1970. The sanctuary, covering an area of 392 square km, was included in the Project Tiger in 1973. Ranthambore was, and remains, the smallest of the 28 Tiger Reserves in India (originally only nine). Ranthambore attained the status of National Park in 1980. In 1984, the adjoining forests were declared as Sawai Man Singh Sanctuary and Keladevi Sanctuary.

In 1991, the Project Tiger was extended to Sawai Man Singh Sanctuary, Keladevi Sanctuary and Kualaji Game Reserve – effectively extending the area of the Tiger Reserve to 1334 square km. The difference between a National Park and a Sanctuary under the Indian laws is that no human activity is permitted inside a National Park, while limited activities are permitted inside a Sanctuary. Moreover, National Parks receive more financial support from the Central Government.

Paradoxically, creation of private hunting reserves by the Royalty have contributed to the preservation of wildlife and forests. The reason is that Royal families could go there for hunting only about once a year and only very special guests were invited. Poachers were afraid of trespassing into Royal properties. Royal punishment was far too severe and swift.In 1960, the Maharaja of Jaipur invited Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth – II and her consort, His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh, for a royal hunt. This created some controversy.The Fauna Preservation Society of London referred the matter to Late E P Gee. Gee commented ” the tiger is not a protected species in India and the shooting of the tiger by the royal party will be just the same as shooting a stag in Scotland and therefore should not be frowned upon”.

This place had been lost in the pages of history – till Prime Minister late Rajiv Gandhi spent seven days, including the night of 1986-87, here.
He stayed in Jogi Mahal, the two and a half century old beautiful Forest Guest House, which was closed to the public in 1992.Rajiv Gandhi fell in love with this unique place and a new eco-development project was taken up at his initiative. Rajiv Gandhi resurrected Ranthambore from the pages of history back onto the prominent tourist itinerary of India.
On 23rd March 2000, President Bill Clinton, and his daughter Chelsea, visited the Ranthambore National Park. Two of the tigers – Bambookhan, the largest male, and a female, gave private audience to them. They were thrilled.

My first tiger sighting

Tigers are found only in Asia. There were about 50,000 tigers a hundred years back. By 1970, their numbers dwindled to about 2000. The Project Tiger, which is one of the most ambitious and successful wildlife projects, was launched in 1973. Their numbers are increasing.

I had never seen a tiger in the wild. So when I decided to see and photograph one, I selected Ranthambore. I saw seven tigers in three days. My trip was a success.You can move inside the park only in authorized open Canters (mini-buses) or open jeeps. These are permitted to take only one of the seven pre-selected routes. The idea is that not more than two vehicles should ply on the same route at the same time.

During my three day stay, I went inside the Ranthambore National Park on three evenings. I traveled in an open Canter. We would start at 3.00 P.M. We had to leave the Park by sunset (6.30 P.M.). The monsoons had failed for three consecutive years. Everything was dry and parched. During the time we travelled inside the Ranthambore National Park, the blazing sun would be gliding down the horizon. It would still be very hot. But it would also be time for thirsty animals to quench their thirst at the few water holes.

On the first day, we sighted three tigers – a mother and her two cubs. They lay fast asleep sprawled higgly piggly about 15 metres from each other. They were at quite a distance from the road and partly hidden amongst trees and shrubs. I did take some photographs.

The second day, our guide pointed towards our right. A large tigress suddenly appeared. She moved parallel to the road. Three vehicles followed her. She took no notice. She entered a shallow pool of water. Everyone was ecstatic. Cameras clicked. We tumbled all over the vehicle, and over each other, to get better shots. The bathing tigress simply ignored us.Our vehicle reversed and took up position on the road a little distance away. Soon a young tiger came and sat down on the road in front of the vehicle. A younger tiger came and sat down on the ground a little to our left. These two were actually the offsprings of the bathing tigress.The bathing tigress appeared to our right and walked towards her cubs. She crossed the road and started calling. First, the smaller one on the left, and then the one on the road, joined her. The three disappeared into the forest.The third day, our guide took us to a place where a pair of tigers had killed a sambar a couple of days ago. The tigers had eaten the sambar. We waited near a water hole. I looked down and recognized a pug mark on the ground (the first I saw and recognized) just next to the vehicle. A tiger had crossed the road a short while ago and should be back.Soon, a young tiger crossed the road from our rear and lay down on the ground a short distance away. Our driver reversed the vehicle and parked it in front of the tiger. The tiger ignored us and merrily rolled about on the ground while we clicked away.

Tigers need plenty of food. There are 10,000 cheetal (spotted deer), 8000 sambar (the largest Indian deer), 3000 neelgai (the largest Indian gazelle – also known as blue bull), plenty of wild boar – sufficient food to comfortably sustain a sizeable population of tigers.In 1991, there were 45 tigers in the Ranthambore National Park. But poaching took its toll. The numbers declined. The surviving tigers became extremely wary. And it became difficult to sight a tiger. Things have improved. There are 36 tigers. And they are not afraid of humans.

Thanks to the efforts of people like Fateh Singh Rathod, the first Field Director of the Ranthambore National Park, who has devoted his entire life to the welfare of the tigers and the local villagers, poaching has virtually stopped and the population of the tigers is steadily increasing.

Other animals

There are plenty of other animals as well. Leopards. Sloth bear. Gazelle, etc. I also saw jackals, mongoose and crocodiles. Numerous Langurs. I did not see a single Rhesus monkey.
There were several species of birds, too.
I also met Radha – a young neelgai who had been orphaned when she was very small. She had become accustomed to humans and muzzled up close to us and licked all over our faces and hands asking for eatables. Unfortunately, we had none.

The National Park is full of Dhak (Flame of the Forest) trees.
There were large tracts of Dhak trees crowned with brilliant vermilion red blossoms which gives the trees the name Flame of the Forest.

The three lakes

There are three large lakes in the Ranthambore National Park. Numerous migratory birds come here for the winter. But the monsoons had failed for three successive years. All the lakes were almost dry. The result was very few migratory birds.I expected to see large numbers of crocodiles and turtles. I was told that these creatures can sense water from a long distance, and when the water becomes scarce in any place, they move away to other water holes, usually at night.
I saw one turtle on its painful journey to some other water hole.

Why Ranthambore

In India, you can see tigers in 28 reserves. Why I chose Ranthambore ? The rules for visitors are far more rigid in Ranthambore than in most other tiger reserves. Only a limited number of approved vehicles are allowed inside the National Park. Every vehicle is allotted a specified route and only two vehicles are allowed on any particular route. All the vehicles must exit the Park by 6:30 P.M. These rules are strictly enforced.

The villagers have willingly relocated to areas outside the National Park and they have accepted the tiger as an integral part of their lives. There are several Non Government Organisations working here to save the tiger. As a result, the tigers here have become fearless and accustomed to human presence. If you are fond of nature, photography or history, you will love this place.Do carry a good camera, a good tele lens, and plenty of film.

Getting there

Nearest airport – Jaipur (180 km)
Nearest Railway Station & Town (on the Delhi Mumbai route) – Sawai Madhopur (10 km)

Best Season

September to March. April and May are hot, But the trees are barren and few water holes have much water.
Animal sighting is ideal.

Accommodation

Plentiful – from the budget type to the high end.

Travel India Sunderban – Journey to nowhere

Binoy Gupta — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 12:42:28 +0000

Land of the Royal Bengal Tiger

Largest Delta in the World

The two great rivers, Ganges 2,510 km. (1,560 miles) and Brahmaputra 2,900 km. (1,800 miles), are born in the snowy peaks of the Himalayas. On the last lap of their long journey, just before they enter the Bay of Bengal and merge with the oceans, they meander through the plains of Bangladesh and West Bengal (India) creating the largest delta in the world.

The Ganges-Brahmaputra delta covers an area of 80,000 sq. km. (30,800 sq. miles) and comprises of 54 inhabited and 48 uninhabited islands, mangrove forests, swamps and mud flats. The delta is approximately 350 km. (220 miles) wide at the Bay of Bengal.

Mangrove forests of India and Bangladesh in Sunderban Region

The Sunderban region encompasses 10,262 sq. km. (3,950 sq. miles) of reserved mangrove forests. 4,262 sq. km. (1640 sq. miles) of the mangrove forests are in India (West Bengal). The remaining 6000 sq. km. (2310 sq. miles) are in Bangladesh.
Sunderban is the only mangrove forest in the world which is home of the tiger.

Indian Sunderban – 9,692 sq. km.

Another 5,430 sq. km. (2,090 sq. miles) of non-forest, inhabited region in India, to the north and north-west of the mangrove forests, is also known as the Sunderban. The combined forest and non-forest area in India totalling 9,692 sq. km. (3,730 sq. miles) is known as the Indian Sunderban region.
This region is criss-crossed by an intricate maze of rivers, tributaries, streams, channels, estuaries and creeks. Life is extremely difficult in this region because 70% of the area is covered by saline brackish water. The environment is made more hostile by the diurnal rise and fall of water caused by the tidal waves.Sunderban region has about sixty per cent of the total mangrove forests of India.
Sunderban Tiger Reserve

In 1973, the Government of India notified 2585 sq. km. (995 sq. miles) of the area as the Sunderban Tiger Reserve under the Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972 and brought it under its Project Tiger Scheme. In 1977, the Reserve was elevated to the status of Wildlife Sanctuary.
The Project Tiger has brought in much needed funds and support from the Government of India and the State Government. But the Sunderban needs still more funding.
The Sunderban Tiger Reserve has more tigers than any other Tiger Reserve in the world. The following are the figures of tigers in the Sunderban:
___________________________________________________
1972 1979 1984 1989 1993 1995 1997 2001-02* 2004
60 205 264 269 251 242 263 245 274
___________________________________________________

The majority of the four million people who live in the Sunderban area are poor and live below the poverty line. They lack access to proper roads and health care facilities.

Therefore, in spite of the presence of the tigers, many of whom are man eaters and sometimes kill animals and humans, the local villagers venture into the forests to collect honey or to cut wood.

The local villagers worship Bonbibi (the local forest deity) and Dakshin Ray (a demon who is believed to assume the shape of a tiger) to protect them from the tigers. Tigers generally attack from the rear. For this reason, while moving inside the forests, the villagers wear bright coloured face masks behind their heads in the hope that the tiger will be fooled by this trick. In spite of this, sometimes they are attacked by tigers.

Sunderbans National Park

On May 4, 1984, Government of India elevated a core area of 1,330.10 sq. km. (510 sq. miles) to the status of National Park. In 1987, UNESCO recognised the Sunderbans National Park as a World Heritage Site. No commercial activity is permitted in the core area. Visitors are not allowed inside the core area. This is to ensure complete privacy to the tigers.

Some facts about the Sunderban Tigers

· The tiger is the top predator of both aquatic and terrestrial eco-systems in the Sunderban.
· A tiger requires 7.5 kilograms of meat every day.
· About 17.5% of food for the tiger comes from aquatic sources.
· They drink saline water, perhaps the only example of this kind in the world.
· A wild tiger requires 10 sq. km. of area to roam around.
· The female takes care of her cubs for as long as 18 months. The males are usually tolerant of their own cubs. But may kill the offspring of other males.
· During the two peak tidal periods of February and May, territorial markings by tigers in Sundarban get obliterated by the daily tides. During that time, tigers are often found swimming across rivers and creeks, crossing up to 8 km. wide rivers.
· During the paddy ripening time, tigers enter several kms. inside the paddy fields and prey on the cattle there.
· The easiest quarries of man-eating tigers/victims are wood cutters, fishermen and honey collectors.
· Fishermen are the worst sufferers.
· But only 5% of the tigers are man eaters.

Tiger attacks

There is not a single instance of a tiger attacking a human being (even if it has strayed out of the forest) unless it is cornered by people. Normally, it kills cattle as its prey.
All cases of tiger killing humans occur only when a man enters the forest. If we look from the tiger’s point of view, a man inside his forest is simply another legitimate prey, which is easily available and easier to hunt than deer or wild boar.

The Mangrove Biosphere

In order to coordinate and integrate conservation, research and training activities in the Sunderban region, on March 29, 1989, the Government of India notified the entire 9,630 sq. km. region as the Sunderban Biosphere Reserve. More than four million people live within the Biosphere Reserve.
In November 2001, UNESCO accorded recognition to the Sunderban Biosphere Reserve area under its Man and Biosphere (MAB) programme.

Unique Habitat

The water in the numerous rivers, creeks and canals rises and falls in tune with the tides. Salt water from the sea rushes in and out – twice every day – making the region one of the most difficult terrains to live in. Most of the creatures here – both animals and plants – land and aquatic – have developed unique adaptations to survive in this peculiar environment.

For instance, the tiger has become a strong swimmer. It has learnt to catch fish. It even drinks saline water.

Throughout the mangrove forests, at the water’s edge, you will find the unique mud skipper, a fish that walks on land and even climbs trees. Its fins have evolved into two small arm-like flippers which permit it to move about on land. There are numerous blood-red fiddler crabs and other crustaceans.
The mangrove trees have developed strange aerial roots and unique propagation mechanism.
Sunderban has 84 species of mangrove and mangrove-related plants.

Animal Life

According to Hunter’s Account of Sundarban written in 1878, there were numerous tigers, leopards, rhinoceros, wild buffaloes, wild hogs, wild cats, bara-singha, spotted deer, hog deer, barking deer and monkeys in the Sundarban.

Over the last 130 years, leopards, rhinoceros, wild buffaloes and bara-singha have vanished. The animal life has been reduced to the tiger, deer, wild boar, monkeys, jungle cats and fishing cats.

Aquatic Life

There are a number of aquatic mammals – the Ganges dolphin, Indo-pacific hump-backed dolphin, Irrawaddy dolphin and the Finless porpoise.

There are several species of reptiles – Olive Ridley turtle, the river terrapin, estuarine crocodile (the largest crocodile in the world), monitor lizard, water monitor, chameleons; and a varied assortment of snakes – King cobra, common cobra, Banded krait, Russell’s Viper, Python, Chequered Keelback, Dhaman, Green Whip Snake, Indian python and a number of water snakes. There are skipping frogs, common toads and tree fogs.

The numerous species of fishes include the Saw fish, Butter fish, Electric Rays, Silver Carp, Star Fish, Common Carp, several species of sharks, prawns and shrimps.

Bird Life

The area is rich in bird life. There are over 200 species of birdsincluding plenty of water birds – Asian open bill stork, black-necked stork, greater adjutant stork, egrets, herons, swamp francolin, white ibis, white-collared kingfisher, black-capped kingfisher, brown-winged kingfisher, spotted billed pelican, etc.

A number of migratory birds come from far off places. You can see the Asian dowitcher (Limnodromus semipalmatus), a rare migrant bird, during the winter months.
There are also a number of birds of prey – white-bellied sea-eagle, grey-headed fishing eagle, brahmini kite, herring gull, osprey, Pallas’s fish eagle, peregrine falcon, Oriental hobby, northern eagle owl and brown fish owl.

Plant Life

The most important trees are the mangrove trees. The name Sunderban meaning Sundari forest comes from two words Sundari (a species of mangrove tree – Heritiera fomes – one of the larger mangrove trees here) and Ban (forest).
There are several other species of trees. Genwa which has flaming red leaves in April and May. The Kankara with its crab like red flowers. Khalsi with its dazzling display of yellow blooms.

Stay – Sajnekhali Tourist Lodge

The only place to stay inside the forest area is the Sajnekhali Tourist Lodge (also known as Sunder Chital Tourist Lodge) in Sajnekhali maintained by the West Bengal Tourism Development Corporation Ltd. It is rustic and simple. There is no electricity. A generator gives just enough power to run the fans and lights during the late evening and night.
There is a watch tower here, a crocodile pond and a turtle pond. There is also an artificial hatchery for hatching eggs of Olive Ridley turtles. Turtle eggs are collected from the wild and hatched under human supervision.
There is a Mangrove Interpretation Centre here where you can see films on wild life and get you doubts cleared.

If you want luxury, you can stay at Sunderban Tiger Camp just across the river – opposite Sajnekhali.
The Sunderban Tiger Camp has four A/c double bed and three Non-A/c double bed Cottages; 4 bed huts and 4 bed Swiss tents. All the rooms are simple but spacious with 24 hours electricity and running water and good service.
A third place to stay is the Sunderban Jungle Camp at Bali Island also opposite Sajnekhali. There are also a few private hotels and resorts in Pakhiralay area.
You can also stay on board the launch which has cabins, toilets, running water and arrangement for meals. In fact, the Government of West Bengal and the West Bengal Tourist Development Corporation Ltd. both organize excursions into the Sunderban where you spend the nights on board the launch. You can even hire a private launch and plan your individual itinerary.

Places to see

Piyali
Piyali, situated 72 km from Kolkata, is a gateway to the Sunderban. It is a beautiful resting place. Here the small river Piyali mingles with Matla river.

Sajnekhali Bird Sanctuary
The Sajnekhali Bird Sanctuary situated on the confluence of Matla and Gumdi rivers is a part of the Sunderbans National Park. You can see a variety of birds.
This is a bird watcher’s paradise.

Sudhanyakhali
Has a man made Mangrove Park and a watch tower. The Sunderban forests have about 84 species of plants. You can see most of them here. From the watch tower, you can also see deer, water monitors, etc.

Kaikhali
On the way to Sundarbans, you can visit Kaikhali Island. This is an ideal picnic spot.

Bhagabatpur Crocodile Project
The Bhagabatpur Crocodile Project is a hatchery and rearing centre of the world’s largest estuarine crocodiles. You can reach this place through Namkhana.

Netidhopani
You can see the the ruins of a 400 year old temple at Netidhopani and listen to ancient legends from the locals. There is a watch towers here.

Halliday Island & Lothian Island Wildlife Sanctuaries
These two sanctuaries lie to the south of the Sunderban and are not part of the Tiger Reserve.

Halliday Island is considered the last retreat of the shy barking deer.

Kanak
This is the nesting place of Olive Ridley turtles who spend most of their lives in the far away seas and oceans. These turtles travel long distances to shallow coastal waters to breed – often travelling up to 100 km from the sea into the rivers.

How to reach Sunderban

The islands Goasaba, Sandeshkali and Basanti form the northern boundary of the Sundarban. On the south is the sea. To the west are the Matla and Bidya Rivers and to the east is the international boundary with Bangladesh.
For visiting Sunderban, the starting point is Kolkata (Calcutta). From Kolkata, there are two routes. One goes south towards the South West; the other goes south towards the South East. Either way, you have to drive about 100 km. The road is very good.
The South West route takes you to Namkhana (105 km – via Diamond Harbour and Kakdwip). If you like a longer river journey, you can take a boat from any of these places or from Gangadharpur and visit Sagar Island, Lothian Island and surrounding areas.
The South East route is more popular. You drive through 100 kms of picturesque wetlands, agricultural fields, fish hatcheries and rural Bengal to reach Sonakhali. From here, you can take a 3 hour launch ride to Sajnekhali Tourist Lodge.
If you are more adventurous, you can travel on to Basanti by road (which is just across the river from Sonakhali) and drive on to Gadkhali (11kms). At Gadkhali, take the ferry and cross the Bidya river to Gosaba. A cycle rickshaw will take you to Pakhiralaya in about half hour. Sajnekhali is just across the river from Pakhiralaya.
During the launch ride, you will pass a number of villages of West Bengal. Most of the village people are engaged in some sort of fishing. You will see ladies and children dragging fishing nets to catch tiger prawn fry from which they earn about Rs. 50 per day. But this damages the eco system very badly.

Fact File

Airport
The nearest airport is Kolkatta – 112 kms.Railway Station

Railway
The nearest station is Canning – 48 kms. from Kolkatta

Road
Road transportation is available from
Kolkatta to Namkhana – 105 kms.
Sonakhali – 100 kms.
Raidighi – 76 kms.
Canning – 64 kms. and
Najat – 92 kms.

Best time to visit

September to April.

Foreigners need special permits

Foreigners need special permit to enter the Sunderban.
Permit to visit Sunderban Tiger Projects is issued by Field Director, Sundarbans Tiger Reserve, PO Canning, District 24 Parganas, West Bengal.
Permit to visit other areas of the Sundarbans is issued by the Jt. Secretary, West Bengal Forest Department, Writer’s Building, Kolkatta – 700001.
In order to save time, foreigners should request their travel agent to obtain the permit before hand.

Suggestions

A Sunderban trip is a unique and exciting experience. A journey to no where. Far away from civilization in the mysterious land of the mighty tiger.
Chances of sighting a tiger are rare. But the area has a mysterious, indescriptible charm. You will thoroughly enjoy a few days stay here. It is totally different.

Some related web sites

1. Map of the region is available at: http://www.calcuttaweb.com/maps/south24pgs.shtml 2.Map of the Sunderban region is available at: http://www.sundarbanbiosphere.org/html_files/photos_all/map/sundarban_4_1.htm 3. Web site of the West Bengal Government: http://www.wb.nic.in/westbg/sundarban.html 4. Web site of the Sunderban Tiger Camp: http://www.sunderbantigercamp.com/contact.htm 5. Web site of the Sunderban Jungle Camp: http://www.helptourism.com/photo_sundarban.html 6. Addresses of offices of Govt. of India & W.B. Tourism Development Corp. Ltd., in Kolkata: http://www.tourisminindia.com/indiainfo/cityguide/calcutta/contact.htm