Overview:The study area of East Kolkata Wetlands is a complex of natural and human-made wetlands which is a part of the mature delta of Ganges River where its tributaries eventually drain into the Bay of Bengal. The wetland lies at the east of Kolkata
bordering the Salt Lake Township, West Bengal. It extends almost equally on both sides of a Dry Weather Flow Channel, which discharges into the Kulti Gang. Out of total 12741.30 ha area, total water area is about 5852.14 ha and include salt marshes and salt meadows, as well as sewage farms and settling ponds and covered mostly near about by 308 city-sewage-fed fisheries which is very rich in aquatic biodiversity.
Ref : IJSR
Threat: East Kolkata Wetlands is under severe pressure due to anthropogenic stresses. Change in land use, rapid siltation due to changes in hydrological regimes, pollution have greatly impaired the wetland functioning. Conservation efforts for these wetlands have also been limited in scope. Scientific assessments on the wetland system have largely
Inlet for sewage
been restricted to academic exercises and research and no systematic approach to conservation & sustainable development of these wetlands has been adopted. Also, the presence of invasive exotic fish species North African catfish also know as Hybrid Magur (Clarius guripinus) and Pangasius sutchi pose great threat to the native diversity.
Ref: ekwma
BIOTOPE INFORMATION
WATER: pH 7-8.79, 75-86 F (24-30 C). Specific Gravity - 1.000
TANK : Tank with heavy lighting and a lot of floating plants. Substrate can be small gravels either or with sand/clay bed.
Driftwood, Bamboo sticks, stones can be used to give it a natural look. Even waste products like earthen pottery’s can be stacked at the bottom which act as a natural shelters for small fishes and bottom dwelling loaches. Take a little time deciding which kind you want, and get the best you can afford that suits your needs. There are a lot of different filter types available, but hanging filters and canister filters are the most common styles. They will both siphon water out, run it through filtration media and return it to the tank. Neither filtering system is challenging to maintain; it will just come down to personal choice and cost. FLORA:Vallisneria , Hygrophilla polysperma, Anacharis, Hydrilla, Saggittaria, Hygrophila corymbosa, Najas indica, etc.
Puntius ticto: Ticto barb/Twospot barb, Puntius conchonius: Rosy Barb, Salmostoma bacaila: Large Razorbelly Minnow, Aplocheilus panchax: Blue Panchax Killifish, Rhinomugi lcorsula:Corsula mullet, Parambassis ranga: Indian glassy fish, Badis badis: Badis,etc. And a lot of options are available for this biotope aquarium setup.
Overview: Ghoramara Island is an island in the South 24 Parganas, West Bengal. Ghoramara Island is located 150 km south of Kolkata. The island is small, roughly 5 km2in area, in the advent of the Murigonga Riveralso called Baratala River. It is quickly disappearing due to erosion and sea level
rise. Ghoramara island once had a population of 40,000. The 2001 Government of India census showed a population of 5,000 on Ghoramara; this population is believed to have shrunk as families are displaced by the island's sinking. As of 2016 when this post is written the island has 3,000 residents.
Threat: Islands Lohachara, Bedford, and New Moore lying to the southwest of Ghoramara have already been submerged and now Ghoramara is slowly being engulfed by the sea. Tuhin Ghosh of the School of Oceanographic Studies at Jadavpur University has been studying Ghoramara Island.
This is an estuary where saltwater from the Bay of Bengal mixes with freshwater from three of India's major rivers — the
Ganges, the Meghna & the Brahmaputra. The tides in the adjoining areas are so dramatic that about a third of the land disappears and reappears every day. That's been happening for centuries. But just in the past few decades, the changes have become more
extreme. In this delta, water levels are rising more dramatically than in other parts of the world — especially on the island of Ghoramara. The sea level is rising as never before and frequent cyclones and storms are increasingly eroding inhabited lands. Most of the people from Ghoramara are destined to live as climate refugees in India without even being acknowledged as one.
I personally take this oppurtunity to request everyone to atleast pay heed to a not so interesting but a very important biotope. This Island is the living proof of the devastating effects of climate change (Global Warming). With rising sea levels, high tides and floods gradually swallowing the whole island. How to Reach: The journey from Kolkata to Ghoramara is more about the journey than distance- a train ride to Kakdwip, followed by a ride on a trekker and one have to cross Muriganga river which is a side stream of Ganges and connects the island to nearest harbour Kakdwip. Lodging: There is no hotel as such to stay there one can approach the locals to staying in their houses.
BIOTOPE INFORMATION
WATER: pH 7.2-8.0, 10-20 dH, 75-82 F (24-28 C), 1.006-1.015 specific gravity
TANK: An open water biotope should provide plenty of open water to swim around. A clayey or loamy substrate can be used to mimic the natural conditions. The seemingly plain and monotonous mud flats are in fact, anything but a vast estuary with teeming, dynamic, and fascinating ecosystem like none other on earth—and for the aquarist looking for something a bit ‘off the beaten path’, it represents a chance to create a truly unique aquatic environment.
Filter: One never regrets the money spent on a good filter – so take a little time deciding which kind you want, and get the best you can afford that suits your needs. There are a lot of different filter types available, but hanging filters and
canister filters are the most common styles. Neither filtering system is challenging to maintain; it will just come down to personal choice and cost. For clayey substrate it is
recommended to reduce amount of flow in the lower levels of the aquarium so as to reduce turbidity in the tank. FLORA: There is not much of choice in this kind of biotope. Due to high turbidity in the water there underwater plants do not thrive.
FAUNA: Most species have adapted to live in a brackish or euryhaline environment, their feeding and even reproductive strategies are synchronized with the seasonal and tidal variations. Fishes like Anguilla bengalensis (Indian mottled eel), Scatophagus Argus (Spotted scat), Datnioides polota
(Silver Tiger Perch), and a lot of other options are available.
Also shrimps and lobsters as Ghost shrimp (Palaemonetes sp.), Macrobrachium sp., Penaeus monodon(Bagda Prawn) are pretty much common in this area.
Overview:This area to the south of Narendrapur, and almost adjoining it, in Dingelpota, consists of villages with dense orchards, a mixture of natural and planted vegetations, open croplands and ponds of different sizes. It also has a large wetland that was created owing to removal of soil from croplands for brickfields. There are several bamboo groves which attract many birds. When the trees are in flower, or with fruit, many frugivorous and nectar eating birds as well as butterflies and even few mammals
congregate; this is unique to the place. The small and medium ponds and a few large pools have created a serene and very interesting biotope.
Threat: Residential buildings are coming up replacing the greenery.
Orchards are being converted into small factories or workshops disturbing the tranquility the area. Though it is very rich in its flora and fauna at present, with all its threats, what would remain here in near future is a very big question.
How to Reach: Nearest most popular place is Garia. Buses and auto-rickshaws are available from Garia. Buses or taxies from Sealdah or Howrah Railway station to Garia are enough. Hiring a auto or taxi from Garia to reach Rajpur kalitola takes 10-15 minute. From there, take an
auto on the right lane to reach Shyamkhola auto stand. From there you can reach the destination in 5 mins by walk. Lodging: There is no hotel as such to stay there one can approach the locals to staying in their houses. For lunch or dinner contact the local sweet sellers in advance.
BIOTOPE INFORMATION
WATER:pH 6-7.5, dH: 8-10, 75-86 F (24-30 C). Specific Gravity - 1.000
TANK : Tank with heavy lighting and planting. Substrate can be small gravels either or without sand/clay bed. Driftwood, Bamboo sticks, stones can be used to give it a natural look. Even waste products like earthen pottery’s can be stacked at the bottom which act as a natural shelters for small fishes and bottom dwelling loaches.
Filter: One never regrets the money spent on a good filter – so take a little time deciding which kind you want, and get the best you can afford that suits your needs. There are a lot of different filter types available, but hanging filters and canister filters are the most common styles. They will both siphon
water out, run it through filtration media and return it to the tank. Neither filtering system is challenging to maintain; it will just come down to personal choice and cost. FLORA: Vallisneria , Hygrophilla polysperma, Anacharis, Hydrilla, Potamogeton sp., Saggittaria, Najas Indica, etc.
Overview: Henry’s island is a destination hugging the western boundary of the greater Sundarban region, and dotting the south-end corner of the ‘Mouths of the Ganges’. Kilometers of empty beach, placid sea, clear sky and
excellent food are some of the attractions of this island. Henry Island is named after a British Explorer who surveyed land in the area in the late 19th Century. Dense mangrove forest parted by numerous canals covers the area. Only the song of birds accentuate the silence here. Henry’s island has an area of 600 hectares habitating wide varieties of plant and animal life. There are many rarely observed species of birds
which occur regularly at Henry’s island. These include Greater Thick-knee, Ruddy Turnstones, Great Knots, Sanderling, Caspian, Gull-billed and Common Terns, vagrant Heuglin’s Gull, Mangrove Whistler, Back-capped and Collared Kingfishers, Eurasian Hobby, a good selection of plovers and other shorebirds. Moreover, it is the sort of place where a Spoon-billed Sandpiper or a Nordmann’s Greenshank is not impossible !
How to Reach: The journey from Kolkata to Bakkhali takes about three and half hours. There are buses from
Esplanade to Namkhana and from there to Bakkhali. There’s also a train connection to Namkhana.
Bakkhali is about 130 km by road from Calcutta. There’s a ferry service at Namkhana to transport cars and buses across the Hatania-Doania creek, which is deep enough for ships to navigate. Bridges have not been constructed on the creek to keep the passage of ships clear. Though currently a high flyover is being constructed.
From the other side it is approximately 20-23 kms drive in a well maintained road. Lodging: There are two rest houses in Henry Island. One is named Mangrove and another one Sundari which is very close to the sea beach. These lodges belong to the Fisheries Department of West Bengal.
BIOTOPE INFORMATION
WATER :
pH: 7.3-8.0, 15-25 dH, 75-86 F (24-30 C) Brackish water specific gravity of 1.005 to 1.008 is good [Pure water has a sp. gr of 1.000, while seawater typically has around 1.025].
TANK : The tank should have a sandy or clayey substrate. Use wood to recreate the mangrove roots of the swamp. Use an efficient filtering system, because brackish water fish are heavy eaters, yet sensitive to water pollutants.
One popular brackish water set-up is to leave the tank only half full with water(i.e. paludarium type setup). A silty land area is constructed and potted mangrove seedlings grow above the water surface. Such a set-up allows an aquarist to observe unusual behaviour from brackish species such as mudskippers and certain crabs. FLORA : The tropical estuarine swamp forest consists of
mangrove vegetation. Principal tree species are Keora, Baen, goran etc. The vegetation provides a dense cover throughout the habitat. Along the edge of the rivers there are grassy patches. Pretty much all mangrove seedlings grow above water - Phoenix paludosa, Excoecaria agallocha, Heritiera fomes, Bruguiera parviflora, etc.
FAUNA: A lot of fishes specially of the gobiidae family are native to place. Also eels and certain oddballs are also open as an option. Fishes like Indian-dwarf mudskipper (Periopthalmus
novemradiatus), Duckbill sleeper (Butis butis), Cheetah Spotted Scat (Scatophagus Argus), Ocellated pufferfish(Tetraodon cutcutia), Indian mottled eel (Anguila bengalensis), Tank goby (Glossogobius giuris), Bleeding Heart Goby (Gobiopterus chuno), Terapon jarbua (Target Fish), Neon Spot Goby (Amoya brevirostris), etc. Also oddball enthusiasts will surely enjoy fishes like Blue-spotted Mudskipper
Periopthalmus Novemradiatus - Pearse's mudskipper
(Boleophthalmus boddarti), Spotted green goby (Acentrogobius viridipunctatus), are also found here. Also shrimps as Ghost shrimp (Palaemonetes sp.), Macrobrachium rude, and also blue striped hermit crab (Clibanarius longitarsus), and Orange-striped hermit crab (Clibanarius infraspinatus) are pretty
much common. Horseshoe crabs also known as King crabs, a chelicerate arthropod are also not much of a rare visitor to this place. . Reports suggest that there are primarily two species carcinoscorpius rotundicauda and Tachypleus gigas, found in the area. Although they have no uniformity even in one species.
BIOTOPE: Lothian Island Wildlife Sanctuary, West Bengal
Description: Lothian Island Wildlife Sanctuary is a magneficient island, having an area of 38 sq.km. This sanctuary is one of the wildlife sanctuary of Sunderban. Lothian Island was declared as Wild Life Sanctuary in June, 1976. It is one of the three Wildlife Sanctuaries of the Sundarban Biosphere Reserve. It is a part of deltaic Sunderbans which harbour a tropical estuarine swamp forest.
BIOTOPE INFORMATION
WATER : pH: 7.3-8.9, 15-25 dH, 75-97 F (24-36`C)
Brackish water specific gravity of 1.005-1.010 is present [Pure water has a sp. gr of 1.000, while seawater has around 1.025].
FLORA : The tropical estuarine swamp forest consists of mangrove vegetation. Principal tree species are Keora, Baen, goran etc. The vegetation provides a dense cover throughout the habitat. Along the edge of the rivers there are grassy patches. Pretty much all mangrove seedlings grow above water - Phoenix paludosa, Excoecaria agallocha, Heritiera fomes, Bruguiera parviflora, etc.
TANK : The tank should have a sandy or clayey substrate. Use wood to recreate the mangrove roots of the swamp.
Use an efficient filtering system, because brackish water fish are heavy eaters, yet sensitive to water pollutants. One popular brackish-water set-up is to leave the tank only half full with water (i.e. paludarium type setup). A silty land area is constructed and potted mangrove seedlings grow above the water surface. Such a set-up allows an aquariast to observe unusual behaviour from brackish species such as mudskippers and certain crabs.
FAUNA:
The animals found are Chital, Wild Pigs and Rhesus monkey. Jungle Cats are sighted occasionally. Birds are numerous including the migrants that visit the Sanctuary in winter. The marshes of the island harbour estuarine Crocodile.A lot of fishes specially of the gobiidae family are native to place. Also eels and certain oddballs are also open as an option. Fishes like Indian-dwarf mudskipper (Periopthalmus
novemradiatus), Duckbill sleeper (Butis butis), Ocellated pufferfish (Tetraodon cutcutia), Indian mottled eel (Anguila bengalensis), Tank goby (Glossogobius giuris), Bleeding Heart Goby (Gobiopterus chuno), Neon Spot Goby (Amoya brevirostris), etc. It is also reported that the Parioglossus winterbottomi is an exquisite species of the mini dartfish is also found in the waters here. Also oddball enthusiats will surely enjoy fishes like chaca chaca, Acentrogobius viridipunctatus are found here.
Also shrimps as Ghost shrimp (Palaemonetes sp.), Macrobrachium rude, and also blue striped hermit crab (Clibanarius longitarsus), and Orange-striped hermit crab (Clibanarius infraspinatus) are pretty much common.
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