The world’s largest mangrove delta, the Sundarbans, is under increasing environmental and human pressure, according to several recent studies. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) downgraded the site’s conservation outlook from “Good with Some Concerns” to “Significant Concerns,” citing rising sea levels, salinity intrusion, and disease outbreaks among mangroves. Over the past three decades, the region has already lost more than 200 square kilometers of land, while saltwater contamination and coastal erosion continue to displace thousands of residents. Government data also reveal that 70 saltwater crocodiles have been rescued from human settlements in just three years, highlighting how shrinking nesting habitats are forcing wildlife closer to danger.
Meanwhile, both India and Bangladesh are intensifying efforts to protect the fragile ecosystem. The Bangladesh government recently announced a ban on new industrial projects within 10 kilometers of the Sundarbans’ Ecologically Critical Area, aiming to curb pollution and habitat degradation. Yet, for the 4.5 million people who call the Sundarbans home—many from marginalized Dalit and Adivasi communities—the struggle continues. Frequent cyclones, saline farmlands, and lost livelihoods are driving a wave of climate migration, as researchers warn that without urgent adaptation measures and restoration funding, this UNESCO World Heritage Site could lose its ecological balance within the next two decades. More