Tigers in Sundarbans National Park: In India, spotting a tiger in its native environment is notoriously difficult. And it’s no surprise, given that the country’s 1,400 big cats are distributed throughout more than 40 national parks. Nonetheless, I was in the vicinity, so I visited West Bengal’s Sunderbans Tiger Reserve and remained optimistic. Lets us know more about tigers in Sundarbans National Park
In the Sunderbans National Park in West Bengal, India, a tiger is spotted.
In India, spotting a tiger in its native environment is notoriously difficult. And it’s no surprise, given that the country’s 1,400 big cats are distributed throughout more than 40 national parks. Nonetheless, I was in the vicinity, so I visited West Bengal’s Sunderbans Tiger Reserve and remained optimistic.
The Sundarbans National Park, located in the Indian state of West Bengal, is made up of tranquil canals, streams, rivers, and islands. The national park is a well-known tiger and biosphere reserve in the area, and it is one of the greatest tourist destinations in West Bengal. It is part of the Sundarbans, which are located on the Ganges Delta.
The Sundarbans, which was designated as a wildlife sanctuary in 1966, is home to a diverse range of wildlife, including roughly 100 Royal Bengal tigers, hundreds of spotted dear, and a variety of other exotic species. The region’s pure natural beauty and simple charm make it a popular tourist destination.
Spotting the Royal Bengal tiger and other exotic species
The Sundarbans Tiger Reserve is 2585 square kilometres in size. It’s a tranquil tangle of semi-submerged mangroves that straddles the India-Bangladesh border calmly. Sundarbans National Park’s position, away from the hustle and bustle of the city, provides a welcome reprieve with its unbroken peace and beauty.
Here is a comprehensive list of reasons that will entice you to plan a vacation to this quiet location, which is blessed with plentiful flora and wildlife as well as breathtaking vistas of nature: –
“Some years ago, a 21-year-old lady was deployed as part of a team to the Sunderbans to gather crabs to sell,” our naturalist, Avijit Dutta, said shortly before leaving Calcutta for the Sunderbans Tiger Camp. A hungry tiger noticed her on her way back and murdered and ate her.”
By the time I drove 90 kilometres from Calcutta, boarded one of the several boats at the Gadkhali pier at the Ganges’ mouth, and travelled two hours to Waxpol Jungle Lodge on Dayapur island, this unsettling narrative had been consigned to the bowels of my consciousness.
In any event, the Sunderbans’ mangroves and woods are enveloped in mist, mostly inhospitable, and much of it is off-limits to most humans. As a result, the only option for visitors like me and others to see a tiger is on a boat excursion. Lets us know more about tigers in Sundarbans National Park
About Sunderbans
The vista of the Sunderbans from any angle appears to go on forever. In terms of size, “Forever” covers 10,000 km2 (3,900 sq mi), making it the world’s largest coastal mangrove forest. It straddles two countries: India’s Bengal and Bangladesh’s neighbouring Bangladesh. The Indian portion (where I was) is 4,262 square kilometres, with 2,585 square kilometres dedicated to a national park and tiger reserve. Lets us know more about tigers in Sundarbans National Park
So I took my chances in this aquatic network of tidal canals, mudflats, little islands, and mangrove forests. Other candidates included a honeymooning couple vacationing at Waxpol Jungle Lodge who booked a whole romantically decorated boat for themselves.
Two days meandering through the mangroves
On the Jungle Tiger boat, the day began at 6.30 a.m. We boarded as the sun rose, and we observed as the sailors carried on their heads breakfast and lunch bundles.
We finally set out in the opposite way, a bit after the colourful boat carrying the honeymooners. The sun was high in the sky, casting orange-hued rays through the mist, creating a shimmering line of tapering light on the sea. The only sound was the murmur of light Hindi banter from the crew as they glided past the Sajnekhali watchtower complex and into the Pirkhali River (khali meaning canal). Lets us know more about tigers in Sundarbans National Park
The sight on both sides of us as we turned right towards Sudhanyakhali was marshy mangrove. And then there was a hay-carrying boat.
We were deep in the creek by 8 a.m., and egrets could be seen elegantly pottering about the shore, sandpipers soared overhead, and indigenous to the mangrove black-capped and brown-winged kingfishers sprang up on treetops and limbs.
There was some excitement around 8.45 a.m. In the silt, freshly created tiger footprints could be observed. We followed the track down the mudflats, but it diverged into the mangrove and was lost to sight.
Fortunately, a classic South Indian breakfast of rice bread, sudden dahl, and rice – sambar powder sauce, lentils, tamarind, and tomato, with peanut chutney on the side – was provided, which helped to alleviate the disappointment.
Finally, we arrived at Five River Junction. We were rewarded to sights of spotted dear, the occasional boar, a plethora of birds, and a large dollop of breathtaking landscape. There’s also a small boat with a few fishermen on board.
We arrived to Do Banki camp at 1 p.m., where there is a Canopy Walk, and we took advantage of the chance to stretch our legs. The canopy walk is roughly a half-kilometre long and around 20 feet above the ground. You could see Chital deers or Brahmini Kites if you’re lucky, and a tiger if you’re very lucky. That was not the case. Lets us know more about tigers in Sundarbans National Park
We were up with the sun and on the lake by 6.30 a.m. the next morning. On the wildlife highway today, there was (relatively) a rush hour. For about a mile, a group of 30 or 40 monkeys bordered the coast.
It was breathtaking to observe them, as well as the egrets who mingled among them, their long white necks and feathers punctuating the cuppocino-coloured monkeys and smudges of dark beige from the mudflats.
We saw Spotted dear lingering and nuzzling each other farther down the road. It was quiet again after a local breakfast, with a smidgeon of excitement at the sight of another wavy and tantalising line of new tiger footprints.
We followed them, but they disappeared into the woods once again. “The problem,” Avijit explained, “is that you can only see a tiger if it comes out into the wide mudflats, which are only visible at low tide.” Lets us know more about tigers in Sundarbans National Park
We did, however, observe a little jungle cat, two otters, and a wild boar. We narrowly missed seeing a lethargic crock whose skin was blended with the earth underneath us later on the Bida River. It was laying flat on the mud, soaking up the rays, only revealing itself with a slight movement of the tail before flitting away. Lets us know more about tigers in Sundarbans National Park
We had heard that there were dolphins in the Bidia River area, but we couldn’t discover any. So we followed the rasping sound of a group of lesser whistling ducks to a flock of them. Exclusively found in this region of the globe, these duck-like birds have chestnut chests, and long necks, feed only at night, and can sit on trees.
Back in Waxpol, I was pondering on two days of river exploration with no tiger sightings to show for it. I consoled myself by remembering that seeing a tiger was always a long shot, and it took Avijit (the naturalist) eight years to get a photo.
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However, I ran upon a honeymooning couple. They were overjoyed to be able to show off photos of a tiger they had seen just ten minutes after leaving Waxpol that morning. I was at a loss for words (that could be printed here)!
Where To Stay In sundarban:
Many Sundarban travel providers offer a variety of Sundarban package excursions to West Bengal’s Sundarbans National Park. Most are pre-planned group excursions with established itineraries that might be day tours, overnight tours, or multi-night trips with pre-arranged lodging. However, ROYAL SUNDARBAN TOURISM IS THE BEST; you will be picked up and dropped off in Kolkata, and you may choose to stay on a boat or on land. Tour packages are also available from hotels and resorts. At Royal Sundarban Tourism, you’ll receive the greatest deal. Personal Car, AC/Non-AC Tour, AC Deluxe Cottage, Delicious Menu, Experienced Tour Guide 12 Regular Spots, Folk Dance, Car, Boat, Room Sanitization, Air Conditioning & Non-Air Conditioning Package
Royal Sundarban Tourism
Visit: https://tinyurl.com/y6smhoup
Contact: 7439965413 / 8584838109
Whats app link : https://tinyurl.com/yxtvhcs3
Email: info@royalsundarbantourism.com
Address: Sundarban. Gosaba Market Durga Mandir Road, Pin – 743370, West Bengal, India