Climate change imperils Sundarbans: CF
Frequent flooding of the Sundarbans due to sea level rise is gradually squeezing the wildlife habitats in the world's largest mangrove forest, says conservator of forests.
"Another impact of sea level rise is the increased salinity in the forest area, which brought about definite adverse changes in the vegetative propagation of the mangrove forest'', Dr Tapan Kumar Dey told the agency yesterday.
He said the Sundarbans is the source of livelihood for 12 lakh people.
The six thousand square kilometres forest is a world heritage site, recognised by the United Nations' Education, Science and Culture Organisation (Unesco).
He said a number of projects were under way, which aim for an improved understanding of the forest's ecology and improve it as well.
Dr Dey explained the problems responsible for havoc to the flora and fauna of the Sunderbans, the last habitat of spotted deer.
He said spotted deer were originally inhabitants of the Himalayan Mountains, and its immediate vicinities -- the altitudes of Tibet, Nepal and Bhutan.
For habitat loss in those areas, they were compelled to migrate to the Sundarbans, which too now under threat for climate change. The global warming has already made Bangladesh ''the most vulnerable country'' to climate change in the world.
Dey said Caora leaves, the staple food for the spotted deer, are scarce in the forest for salinity.
According to a statistics, every year 1,000 deer are poached mostly in three places -- Barguna, Sathkira and Southkali. Apart from this around 200 to 300 deer are killed each year in 'Dubla Mela' at Dublar Alor Khole, Shawarankhola forest range in the Sunderbans during November.
The Royal Bengal Tigers -- one of the most fascinating cats in the world and Bangladesh's national animal -- are also under threat because of waning population of deer, as the tigers mostly live on hunting deer, said Dey.
An estimated 85,000 to 90,000 deer currently inhabiting in the Sundarbans against existing Tiger population of 450, he cited.
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