After being ravaged by the cyclonic storm Remal last May, the world’s largest mangrove forest Sundarbans started taking back its usual form as various plant species have begun to sprout anew.
The forest has now been teeming with Sundari, Goran, Golpata and other trees in and around the forest under the influence of the monsoon.
Freshwater ponds, which had become saline due to tidal surges during the cyclone, have recently been replenished with freshwater due to the monsoon rains, contributing to rejuvenate the Sundarbans, filling it with vitality once again.
Due to entry restrictions of tourists, fishermen, woodcutters and honey collectors, the Sundarbans now is enjoying a serene silence which helped to the increase in fish and wildlife production, facilitating their free movement, breeding activities, and the growth of new plants.
Narrating the damage of the cyclone Remal on the mangrove forest, Mihir Kumar Deb, forest conservator of the Sundarbans, told that the damage caused by May 26 Remal surpassed that of previous cyclones Aila and Sidr, with tidal surges reaching up to 20 feet height.
During the cyclone, over 100 freshwater ponds were inundated with saline water, resulting in the death of over 100 deer and various other animals, he narrated.
Moreover, numerous Sundari, Goran and Golpata trees along with other plant species were destroyed, stripping the Sundarbans of its natural splendor, the conservator said.
Like previous occasions, the forest department has already restricted tourist visits and the entry of fishermen, woodcutters and honey collectors from June 1 to August 31 to allow for the regeneration of plants and the breeding of fish and wildlife.
As a result, the Sundarbans has started to regain its usual beauty within one month of hitting the cyclone.
The mangrove forest is enriched with 350 species of birds, 290 species of animals, 30-35 species of reptiles, 42 species of mammals, 8-10 species of amphibians and 200 species of fish and other aquatic creatures.
In previous cyclonic storms, high tides ebbed after three-four hours, but Remal continued to rage for 36 hours keeping the entire forest flooded during the period.
The lengthy flooding has likely contributed a large number of animal life losses, Mihir said.
Furthermore, an official from Sundarbans’ Karamjal Wildlife Breeding Centre said he had never seen tides of such height during his career as those witnessed during Remal’s landfall.
About 80 ponds among the 115 water bodies went under water significantly limiting animals’ access to drinkable water during the storm.
In these conditions, not only cubs but also adults are very much likely to die.
The dead animals being washed away into the Bay of Bengal would never be recovered, and their number is almost impossible to determine, since a 65-day fishing ban is being observed in the seawaters off Sundarbans, Mihir noted.
