Sunderbans
was declared a National Park in 1984. The park covers a vast stretch of
mangrove swamp, lush forested islands and small rivers near the Bay of
Bengal. Most of the region comprises estuarine mangrove forests and swamps
which supports an ecosystem specially adapted to great salinity.Sunderbans is home to the magnificent Royal Bengal tiger, the park holding more tigers than any other tiger reserve. More than 400 tigers were recorded during the mid-1980s. Project Tiger has also launched a programme to protect the Olive Ridley sea turtles. Crocodiles and the Gangetic dolphin are to be found aplenty in the Raimgangal river. The Sajnakhali sanctuary, famous for its rich avian population, is regarded as a part of the Sunderbans National Park.