Sundarbans

mangrove forest · river delta · wildlife habitat · UNESCO site

Biggest mangrove forest. The Sundarbans covers about 10,277 square kilometers, which is larger than the entire state of Rhode Island. It's the largest mangrove forest on Earth, stretching across both India and Bangladesh.

Born from three rivers. The Sundarbans was created where the Ganges, Brahmaputra, and Meghna Rivers flow into the Bay of Bengal. These three giant rivers dump so much mud and soil that they keep building new land and channels.

Home to hundreds of animals. About 453 different wildlife species live in the Sundarbans, including 290 kinds of birds, 42 mammals, 120 fish, 35 reptiles, and 8 amphibians. It's one of the most important habitats in Asia for protecting endangered animals.

Special swamp trees. The most common trees are sundri and gewa, which have special roots that help them survive in salty, muddy water. These trees are perfectly adapted to the weird mix of fresh river water and salty ocean water.

Facing big challenges. The Sundarbans was declared endangered in 2020 because pollution, climate change, and illegal hunting have hurt many animal populations over the past hundred years. Scientists are working hard to protect what remains of this magical forest.