A fragile ark that shelters 2,626 creatures:

Context:

Zoological Survey of India produces first exhaustive compendium of animal diversity in the Sundarban islands and the threats it faces.

Introduction:

The Sundarbans is the only tiger-mangrove kingdom in the world and is home to globally threatened species such as the Bengal tiger, sea turtle, fishing cat, estuarine crocodile, Gangetic dolphin and river terrapin.
According to Zoological Survey of India’s (ZSI) listings, there are 2,626 animal species in the Indian Sundarbans.

What is the present status of Sundarbans faunal diversity?

The Indian segment of the Sundarbans, part of a UNESCO World Heritage site, forms part of the Ganga-Brahmaputra delta across 9,630 sq.km, distributed among 104 islands.
The region hosts 2,487 species that come under the zoological kingdom of Animalia, and 140 under the more primitive Protista.

What are the threats that Sundarbans is facing today?

Due to pressure on habitat from people and natural threats have shrunk the mangrove swamp habitat, mammal numbers are declining.
Two Rhinos, Swamp deer, Barking deer, and Hog deer and Asiatic Wild Water buffalo are not found in Sundarbans anymore.
There are 356 species of birds, the most spectacular being raptors, or birds of prey
There are 11 turtles, including the famous Olive Ridley and Hawskbill sea turtles and the most threatened freshwater species, the River Terrapin.
A crocodile, 13 lizards including three species of Monitor Lizards and five Geckos are found here.
The rivers, creeks channels and the islands together harbour about 30 snake species, led by the King Cobra, considered vulnerable by IUCN.
The mangrove ecosystem covers about 350 species of fish. Cartilaginous fish, which have skeletons of cartilage rather than bone, make up 10.3%.
The IUCN conservation status shows 6.3% fish are near-threatened and 4.85% are threatened. Also, there are 173 molluscs.