Oil Spill Threatens Bangladesh Mangrove Forest, Rare Animals

"Oil from a wrecked tanker is creating a disaster in the waters of Bangladesh's Sundarbans, the largest contiguous tidal mangrove forest in the world and a haven for a spectacular array of species, including the rare Irrawaddy and Gangetic dolphins and the highly endangered Bengal tiger.

'This catastrophe is unprecedented in the Sundarbans, and we don't know how to tackle this,' Amir Hossain, chief forest official of the Sundarbans in Bangladesh, told reporters.

Named for the native sundari tree, the Sundarbans is a vast delta of densely forested, mangrove-fringed islands threaded by an intricate network of creeks and channels, or canals. The delta is a UNESCO World Heritage site that encompasses some 3,850 square miles (1,000 square kilometers), with roughly one-third lying in India and two-thirds in Bangladesh."

Caroline Alexander reports for National Geographic December 16, 2014.