Sajnekhali Wildlife Sanctuary, West Bengal

Sajnekhali Wildlife Sanctuary, West Bengal

Sajnekhali Wildlife Sanctuary is a wildlife sanctuary located in the South 24 Parganas of West Bengal, India. It is situated at the confluence of Matla and Gumdi Rivers in the northern part of the Sundarbans delta. This sanctuary serves as the gateway to the renowned Sundarbans, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the largest tidal halophytic mangrove forests in the world.

History

The sanctuary was established in 1976 and is considered a part of the Sundarbans ecosystem.

The Wildlife Sanctuary

The sanctuary covers an area of about 362 km2. It is located at the confluence of the Matla and Gumdi Rivers and is situated in the northern part of the Sundarbans delta. There is a watchtower in the sanctuary for observing wild animals. The sanctuary comprises of mainly mangrove scrub, forest, and swamp. The mammals found in the sanctuary are tiger, spotted deer, rhesus, macaque, wild boar, fishing cat, and otter. The reptiles found in the sanctuary are crocodile, water monitor lizard, Batagur terrapin and olive ridley turtle.

The birds found in the sanctuary are spotted billed pelican, cotton teal, herring gull, Caspian tern, grey heron, large egret, night heron, open-billed stork, white ibis, common kingfisher, brahminy kite, paradise flycatcher, osprey, Pallass fish eagle, white-bellied sea eagle, grey-headed fishing eagle, peregrine falcon, Oriental hobby, northern eagle owl, and brown fish owl. The sanctuary is also important for waders, including the Asian dowitcher, a rare winter migrant.

Connectivity

The sanctuary is located at about 11 Kms from Gosaba, 18 Kms from Gadkhali, 24 Kms from Basanti, 26 Kms from Sonakhali, 42 Kms from Canning Railway Station, 103 Kms from Kolkata and 103 Kms from Kolkata Airport. Ferry service towards Sajnekhali is available from Gosaba. Rented boat or motor launch can be hired from Basanti, Gadkhali and Sonakhali to reach Sajnekhali. Basanti, Gadkhali and Sonakhali are well connected to Kolkata by road.

Location