Death knell for the Sunderbans

Atula Gupta Eco-Degradation Atula Gupta narrates the story of exploitation of the mangrove forests that border West Bengal and Bangladesh, and also suggests a few measures to save the mangroves. The mangrove forests in Sunderbans consist of 54 tiny islands, criss-crossed by innumerable tributaries of the Ganges that were once infested by Arakanese and Portuguese pirates. But today, the Sunderbans are known as the mystical mangrove forests that hold captive many a species of flora and fauna within their boundaries. In a place where land and sea hazes away, new life forms propagate and existing ones thrive, in the safety of the knowledge that human hands are still afar. But sadly, the reach of the two-legged primate has increased, so much so, that two separate studies infer that Sunderbans, one of the largest estuarine forest on earth may soon become a thing of the past. According to two independent studies conducted by the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) this month and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in December last year, the Sunderbans ecosystem is rapidly changing. Scientists from the ZSL state that as human development thrives, and global temperature continues to rise, as much as 200m of the mangrove coastline is disappearing annually. The study conducted by the IUCN on the other hand warns that the Indian side of Sunderbans is being subjected to various anthropogenic and natural processes affecting the distribution, quality and diversity of its mangroves thanks to too much human interference. Nature’s reign For humans, the primeval mangrove forest of Sunderbans shelters the most unimaginable dangers in its impenetrable undergrowth. Unlike other wildlife parks, where roads, jeeps and guides provide a semblance of control, here visitors find themselves holding their breath and stiffening to a state of alertness as their boats glide through the creeks and rivulets, bordered with mangroves. Even daily existence is a rigorous task. But it is this seemingly threatening environment that provides a haven for many species including the salt water crocodiles, fishing cats, endangered Olive ridley turtles, terrapins, a large variety of birds and 500 other species of land and aquatic creatures. Not to forget, this largest block of continuous mangrove forest is also home to the Royal Bengal Tiger. According to Sarah Christie, ZSL’s tiger conservation expert, “The Sunderbans is a critical tiger habitat; one of only a handful of remaining forests big enough to hold several hundred tigers. To lose the Sunderbans would be to move a step closer to the extinction of these majestic animals.” But reports prove that the Sunderbans is changing. The scientists found rapidly retreating coastline that cannot be accounted for by the regular dynamics of the Sunderbans. Degradation is happening fast, weakening this natural shield for India and Bangladesh, says the report. Many know that without the natural protection of the Sunderbans, the coasts of India and Bangladesh would be a playground for huge tidal waves, sea cyclones, and tsunamis. Mangroves represent less than one per cent of forests in the world, but they have a huge impact on climate. They are the most carbon rich forests in the tropics with high carbon capturing potential. The vanishing coast line could therefore trigger catastrophic changes, immersing within itself, villages, towns and even nations. The other study points how the 4.2 million people who reside near these mangrove belts are devastating the environment for their sustenance. From illegal felling of mangroves to poaching, blocking freshwater flow to unplanned embankments for settlements, human piranhas are gnawing on the body and soul of Sunderbans every day. The report also points out that in many places, sea water has replaced freshwater because of which plants such as the freshwater-loving Heritiera forms cannot survive. The central part of the Indian Sunderbans receives almost no fresh water because of heavy siltation and clogging of the Bidyadhari channel. “The influence of salinity and effects of climate change, though not well-understood, appear to be promoting the invasion of alien species in some parts of the Sundarbans,” the report adds. The Sunderbans cover 10,000 sq km of land and water with 40 per cent of the forests in India. It is characterised by the sunderi trees that give the mangroves their name. The roots of these trees hold together small islands of mud, on which they grow, but are at the same time quick to lose the grayish brown silt to water with each incoming tide. The concern is, for how long can the sunderi trees continue to hold on to the essence of the Sunderbans especially when people are persistently changing every natural system through aquaculture, land development and over-exploitation? It is not for experts and conservationists, but the residents of these floating forests to understand the ground reality. For generations, they have recognised the supremacy of nature by praying to Ma Banabibi, considered as the protector of the inhabitants of the forests and Dakshin Ray worshiped as the God of Tiger. But today, what will make them and the entire ecosystem last is not just prayers, but a pledge to be protectors. Whether the Sunderbans remains an ageless beauty depends on what role its inhabitants choose to play.Death knell for the Sunderbans Atula Gupta Eco-Degradation Atula Gupta narrates the story of exploitation of the mangrove forests that border West Bengal and Bangladesh, and also suggests a few measures to save the mangroves. The mangrove forests in Sunderbans consist of 54 tiny islands, criss-crossed by innumerable tributaries of the Ganges that were once infested by Arakanese and Portuguese pirates. But today, the Sunderbans are known as the mystical mangrove forests that hold captive many a species of flora and fauna within their boundaries. In a place where land and sea hazes away, new life forms propagate and existing ones thrive, in the safety of the knowledge that human hands are still afar. But sadly, the reach of the two-legged primate has increased, so much so, that two separate studies infer that Sunderbans, one of the largest estuarine forest on earth may soon become a thing of the past. According to two independent studies conducted by the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) this month and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in December last year, the Sunderbans ecosystem is rapidly changing. Scientists from the ZSL state that as human development thrives, and global temperature continues to rise, as much as 200m of the mangrove coastline is disappearing annually. The study conducted by the IUCN on the other hand warns that the Indian side of Sunderbans is being subjected to various anthropogenic and natural processes affecting the distribution, quality and diversity of its mangroves thanks to too much human interference. Nature’s reign For humans, the primeval mangrove forest of Sunderbans shelters the most unimaginable dangers in its impenetrable undergrowth. Unlike other wildlife parks, where roads, jeeps and guides provide a semblance of control, here visitors find themselves holding their breath and stiffening to a state of alertness as their boats glide through the creeks and rivulets, bordered with mangroves. Even daily existence is a rigorous task. But it is this seemingly threatening environment that provides a haven for many species including the salt water crocodiles, fishing cats, endangered Olive ridley turtles, terrapins, a large variety of birds and 500 other species of land and aquatic creatures. Not to forget, this largest block of continuous mangrove forest is also home to the Royal Bengal Tiger. According to Sarah Christie, ZSL’s tiger conservation expert, “The Sunderbans is a critical tiger habitat; one of only a handful of remaining forests big enough to hold several hundred tigers. To lose the Sunderbans would be to move a step closer to the extinction of these majestic animals.” But reports prove that the Sunderbans is changing. The scientists found rapidly retreating coastline that cannot be accounted for by the regular dynamics of the Sunderbans. Degradation is happening fast, weakening this natural shield for India and Bangladesh, says the report. Many know that without the natural protection of the Sunderbans, the coasts of India and Bangladesh would be a playground for huge tidal waves, sea cyclones, and tsunamis. Mangroves represent less than one per cent of forests in the world, but they have a huge impact on climate. They are the most carbon rich forests in the tropics with high carbon capturing potential. The vanishing coast line could therefore trigger catastrophic changes, immersing within itself, villages, towns and even nations. The other study points how the 4.2 million people who reside near these mangrove belts are devastating the environment for their sustenance. From illegal felling of mangroves to poaching, blocking freshwater flow to unplanned embankments for settlements, human piranhas are gnawing on the body and soul of Sunderbans every day. The report also points out that in many places, sea water has replaced freshwater because of which plants such as the freshwater-loving Heritiera forms cannot survive. The central part of the Indian Sunderbans receives almost no fresh water because of heavy siltation and clogging of the Bidyadhari channel. “The influence of salinity and effects of climate change, though not well-understood, appear to be promoting the invasion of alien species in some parts of the Sundarbans,” the report adds. The Sunderbans cover 10,000 sq km of land and water with 40 per cent of the forests in India. It is characterised by the sunderi trees that give the mangroves their name. The roots of these trees hold together small islands of mud, on which they grow, but are at the same time quick to lose the grayish brown silt to water with each incoming tide. The concern is, for how long can the sunderi trees continue to hold on to the essence of the Sunderbans especially when people are persistently changing every natural system through aquaculture, land development and over-exploitation? It is not for experts and conservationists, but the residents of these floating forests to understand the ground reality. For generations, they have recognised the supremacy of nature by praying to Ma Banabibi, considered as the protector of the inhabitants of the forests and Dakshin Ray worshiped as the God of Tiger. But today, what will make them and the entire ecosystem last is not just prayers, but a pledge to be protectors. Whether the Sunderbans remains an ageless beauty depends on what role its inhabitants choose to play. http://www.deccanherald.com/content/308215/death-knell-sunderbans.html