According to a recent publication of the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI), the Indian Sunderbans is home to 428 species of birds.
- Of the 428 birds listed, some, like the masked finfoot and the Buffy fish owl, are recorded only from the Sunderbans. The area is home to nine out of 12 species of kingfishers found in the country as well rare species such as the Goliath heron and the spoon-billed sandpiper.
- India has over 1,300 species of birds and if 428 species of birds are from the Sunderbans, it means that one in every three birds in the country is found in the unique ecosystem.
- The Indian Sunderbans is part of the largest mangrove forest in the world.
- The Indian Sunderbans, which covers 4,200 sq. km, also includes the Sunderban Tiger Reserve of 2,585 sq. km — home to about 96 royal Bengal tigers.
- It is a UNESCO world heritage site.
- It is also a Ramsar site (a wetland site designated to be of international importance).
(Source: The Hindu)
