In The Great Derangement Ghosh mentions the Sundarbans, a mangrove forest in India and Bangladesh, in order to illustrate the idea of an encounter with the nonhuman (tigers are ubiquitous there, and humans have to be wary of an unexpected meeting with the predator). The Sundarbans are one of the World’s Natural Wonders and a UNESCO World Heritage site. As one of the most fascinating ecological locations in the world, a further look at the forest is beneficial to readers.
The word “Sundarban” means “beautiful forest” in Bengali. The mangrove forest is on the delta of the Ganges, Brahmaputra, and Meghna rivers on the Bay of Bengal. Sixty percent of the forest is in Bangladesh and the other 40% is in India. The land area comprises over 414,000 hectares and the water area is over 187,000 hectares. There are 200 islands in the Sundarbans, though many are disappearing.
The UNESCO website explains that “the immense tidal mangrove forests of Bangladeshs’ Sundarbans Forest Reserve, is in reality a mosaic of islands of different shapes and sizes, perennially washed by brackish water shrilling in and around the endless and mind-boggling labyrinths of water channels. The site supports exceptional biodiversity in its terrestrial, aquatic and marine habitats; ranging from micro to macro flora and fauna.” Many endangered species reside there, such as the Royal Bengal Tiger, estuarine crocodiles, and Irawadi dolphins. There are 334 plant species belonging to 245 genera and 75 families; 165 algae and 13 orchid species; 693 species of wildlife which includes 49 mammals, 59 reptiles, 8 amphibians, 210 white fishes, 24 shrimp, 14 crab and 43 mollusk species; and 315 species of waterfowl, raptors and forest birds.
The Sundarbans are affected by humans in numerous ways. Mangrove forests are cut for fuel, shrimp fry are over-collected, projects upriver pollute the forest, and heavy silt loads from thousands of kilometers upstream from the eroding and deforested Himalayan mountain slopes destry the ecsystem. The BBC reports that this vast tract of mud and tangles of roots is now being destroyed faster than almost any other ecosystem on Earth, removing this essential barrier [from cyclones and storms] and the rich habitat.” WaterKeeper Alliance says that “In 2015 it was estimated that eight million people lived in or near the Bangladesh side of the Sundarbans, while five million lived in or near the Indian side” and that “Eighty percent of the people depend on fishing for their livelihoods, but the ecosystems that support this industry are threatened by climate change, cyclones, deforestation, increased salinity, oil- and coal-spills, pollution from rivers that flow into the delta, and reduced flow resulting from dams and grabs of fresh water by India.”
