Lesson video

Hello and welcome.

My name is Ms. Harrison.

I'm so excited to be learning with you today.

Today's lesson is called Coastal India, the Sundarbans.

Grab everything you might need for today's lesson and let's begin.

By the end of today's lesson, you'll be able to describe what the Sundarbans are like, explain why they're important and as some of the ways in which they're being protected.

But before we can begin this learning, we need to define the keywords that we'll be using throughout today's lesson.

The keywords in today's lesson are mangrove, biodiversity, climate change, and wildlife sanctuary.

Mangrove, this is a shrub or tree that grows in coastal water and has roots that grow above ground.

Biodiversity, these are all living things in an ecosystem or area.

Climate change, these are large scale and long-term changes in the planet's climate, including weather patterns and average temperatures.

Wildlife sanctuary, this is an area where wild animals and plants and their habitats are protected.

Fantastic, now that we've defined these keywords, we can begin our learning.

The first question we are going to explore in today's lesson is what and where are the Sundarbans? Sundarbans is a vast mangrove forest that covers parts of Northeast India and Southwest Bangladesh.

Aisha has cleverly noted that the total area of the Sundarbans is around 10,000 square kilometres.

That's almost half the area of Wales.

Sundarbans are the largest forest in India and they're also one of the largest remaining areas of mangroves in the world.

Mangroves are forests located in the tropical and subtropical regions on the intertidal zones of shores, lagoons, and estuaries.

Lucas has noted that mangroves are some of the most biodiverse places on the planet making them really interesting to investigate.

Sundarbans are a really fascinating region located in the Bay of Bengal.

We're going to explore why they're so important and how they're formed by some of the major rivers in Southeast Asia.

A delta is a land form that forms at the mouth of a river where the river flows into a larger body of water, such as a sea or an ocean.

Deltas are created when rivers carry sediment, sand, silt, and clay and deposit it as the river flows down.

Over time, this process builds up layers of sediment creating new land.

They often have fertile soil making them great for agriculture.

They form unique ecosystems that support a variety of plants and animals, and many large cities and settlements are found near deltas because they're rich natural resources.

One of the most well-known deltas in the world is the Sundarbans located in the Bay of Bengal.

The vast wetland is part of the Ganges, Brahmaputra, and Meghna Delta, which is the largest river delta in the world.

The Sundarbans were formed by three major rivers, the Ganges River, one of India's holiest and most important rivers, the Brahmaputra River, which is originating in Tibet and the river flows through India and Bangladesh, and the Meghna River, a major river in Bangladesh that joins the Brahmaputra before reaching the Bay of Bengal.

As these rivers carry sediment from the Himalayas and the surrounding areas, they deposit it near the Bay of Bengal, gradually forming the Sundarbans delta over thousands of years.

Sundarbans are one of the most unique ecosystems and mangrove forests, which make them one of the most important natural regions in the world.

The Sundarbans have the largest mangrove forest in the world, which helps protect the coastline from some storms and erosion.

The region is home to many species, including the famous Royal Bengal tiger, saltwater crocodiles, and rare river dolphins.

They also act the natural barrier against cyclones and tidal waves helping protect nearby communities, and many people in the region depend on the delta for fishing, honey collection and agriculture for their survival.

The Sundarbans are located in India and which other country? Is it A, Bangladesh, B, Nepal, or C, Pakistan? Pause the video here whilst to attempt this task and press play when you're ready to check your answer.

Excellent.

The answer is A Bangladesh.

Well done if you manage to identify that correctly.

This map shows land cover, and if we look closer, we'll be able to see that much of the Sundarbans are covered with trees and flooded vegetation.

We can see that Kolkata is the nearest major city to the Sundarbans.

What is the nearest major city to the Sundarbans? Is it A Bengaluru, B Kolkata or C Mumbai? Pause the video here whilst you attempt this task and press play when you're ready to continue.

Excellent, the answer is B Kolkata.

Well done if you managed to identify that correctly.

The mangrove forest of the Sundarbans are found in the intertidal zone.

This is the area between the high tide and low tide where the land meets the sea.

This means that the environment is constantly changing with land either being exposed to air or low tide and flooded with seawater at high tide.

Plants and animals living here have adapted to survive in these challenging conditions.

Some examples of the adaptations are that mangrove trees have special adaptations to survive in salty, waterlogged conditions like having aerial roots.

These roots allow them to grow above ground to absorb oxygen when soil is flooded.

Some trees also filter out salt from seawater whilst others excrete salt from their leaves.

Sundarbans mangroves thrive in the intertidal zone where the plants and animals have unique adaptations to survive the constant changes in the water levels.

These forests protect the coastline, support biodiversity, and are vital for the ecosystem.

Mangrove trees like those in the Sundarbans have special adaptations that allow them to survive in salty, waterlogged conditions.

Their unique root systems help them to take in oxygen even when submerged, and they have ways to deal with the salt in the water.

Since mangrove trees grow in salt water, they need to prevent too much salt from entering into their system.

They do this in two ways.

They filter salt in their roots, so some mangroves act like natural filters blocking most of the salt from entering through their roots.

This allows them to take in fresh water from the salty environments.

They also excrete salt through their leaves, so some mangroves absorb small amounts of salt that still get through their roots.

They then push the salt out through special glands in their leaves.

If you touch the leaves of these trees, you might feel salt crystals on the surface.

Mangrove trees are especially adapted to survive in seawater by filtering salt at their roots and in some species excreting salt through their leaves.

These adaptations allow them to thrive in harsh coastal environments like the Sundarbans providing vital production for both wildlife and the coastline.

The Sundarbans have a unique and varied biodiversity.

They're home to many rare and globally threatened animal species.

Some examples are the estuarine crocodile, the Royal Bengal tiger, the brown-winged kingfisher, and the water monitor lizard.

All of these are exciting creatures, but we need to protect them.

Tourists visit the Sundarbans each year to experience its beautiful scenery and wildlife.

Sam said Sundarbans means beautiful forest in Bengali.

True or false, not many plants and animals are found in the Sundarbans.

Pause the video here whilst you attempt this task and press play when you're ready to continue.

Excellent, this statement is false.

I would now like you to pause the video here whilst you attempt to explain why this statement is false and press play when you're ready to check your answer.

Excellent, the reason why this answer is false is because the Sundarbans are extremely biodiverse and support a wide variety of plants and animals.

Many of these are rare or globally threatened.

I would like you to imagine you have visited the Sundarbans.

I would like you to draw a postcard to show an example of what you might see there.

This can be plants, this can be animals and write a message to someone on the back of your postcard to explain what the Sundarbans are, where they're located, and what they're like.

If possible, I would like you to find out one or two interesting facts to include in your message.

Before you begin, I'm going to show you an example.

Here is an example image of what you might use for the front of your postcard.

Pause the video here whilst you attempt this task and press play when you're ready to continue.

Fantastic work.

Let's check our answers.

Your postcard might have included some of the following points.

Hi, Lucas, I'm on holiday in India and visited the Sundarbans in the Bay of Bengal.

It's the largest forest in India and it's one of the largest mangroves forests in the world.

It's home to many rare and threatened animals such as the Royal Bengal tiger and estuarine crocodile.

Sundarbans means "beautiful forest" in Bengali and they're very beautiful.

I'm taking lots of photos to show you when I get back.

See you soon, Aisha.

Well done if you manage to include some of the following points in your answer.

This answer is great because it's located by saying where it is by the Bay of Bengal.

It's explained why the mangroves are really important as they're home to many rare and threatened animals, and it's also given the definition of what Sundarbans means in Bengali.

Well done on this task.

We're now going to explore our second question of today's lesson.

What pressures do the Sundarbans face? Mangrove forests such as the Sundarbans provide many benefits for people, wildlife, and the planet.

Some of these include provide habitats for a huge variety of wildlife, protecting against coastal erosion and storm surges, reducing the risk of flooding, and absorbing and storing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, and providing food and income for fishing communities.

Izzy and Sam are having a discussion.

I would like you to have a think who is correct? Sam said The Sundarbans aren't very important to the people living there.

Izzy said The Sundarbans provide many different benefits for both people and our planet.

Pause the video here whilst you have a think and press play when you're ready to check your answer.

Fantastic, the correct answer is Izzy's.

The Sundarbans do provide many different benefits for both people and our planet.

Well done if you managed to identify that correctly.

I would like you now to think if you could give any example of some of these benefits.

Pause the video here whilst you have a think and press play when you're ready to continue.

Excellent, some of the benefits that they provide is habitat for animals, they act as a coastal defence, they stop erosion from storms and they also provide income for efficient communities.

Well done if you managed to identify some of those benefits.

The Sundarbans were declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997 because of their unique and rich biodiversity.

However, the Sundarbans face many challenges as a result of climate change, overuse of resources and conflict between people and wildlife.

Climate change, this is mainly caused by human activities and is leading to a rising sea levels.

It's also causing more extreme weather events like cyclones and floods.

These changes are having a major impact on coastal regions, including the Sundarbans, making them more vulnerable than ever.

As global temperatures increase, glaciers melt and oceans expand causing the sea levels to rise.

The Sundarbans being low lying coastal land are at risk being submerged.

This could lead to loss of habitat for wildlife and displacement for local communities.

Climate change is also making cyclone stronger and more frequent.

The Sundarbans act as a natural barrier, but stronger storms cause flooding, destruction of mangrove forests and loss of homes.

Local people and animals struggle to recover from these extreme weather events.

Rising sea levels and heavier monsoon rains mean more frequent and severe floods.

This flood leads to soil erosion, damage to crops and loss of fresh water sources making it harder for people to survive.

The Sundarbans are at high risk from climate change, with rising sea levels, stronger cyclones and increased flooding, threatening both wildlife and local communities.

Protecting this unique ecosystem is crucial to reducing these impacts and helping the region to adapt to future challenges.

The Sundarbans are home to more than 4.

5 million people who rely on the mangrove forest in different ways.

They rely on it for wood from the mangrove forest, which is often used as fuel for cooking, and many people depend on the forest for resources such as fish and crab for their food and livelihoods.

Many people living in the Sundarbans depend on the forest resources for their survival.

They rely on the mangroves for wood, honey, fish, and other materials.

However, this close relationship between people and nature can sometimes lead to conflict between humans and wildlife.

For example, the Sundarbans are home to some of the Royal Bengal tigers, which sometimes wanders into villages in search for food, and this can lead to dangerous encounters.

Dense mangrove forests are home to many venomous snakes which pose a risk to people collecting resources in the forest.

Fishermen working in rivers and coastal waters face the danger of attacks by saltwater crocodiles.

As human settlement expands, forests are cleared, reducing its natural habitat for animals.

Tigers and other predators may enter villages in search for food and sometimes attacking livestock, which leads to retaliation from villagers.

Some animals like deer and fish are over hunted, affecting the balance of the ecosystem.

People in the Sundarbans depend on the forest, but human and wildlife conflict is a serious issue.

Finding ways to protect both people and animals such as securing closures, conservation programmes and education are important for maintaining the balance between humans and nature.

I would like you to list one of the challenges facing Sundarbans.

Pause the video here whilst you attempt this task and press play when you're ready to check your answer.

Excellent, some of the challenges you might have listed are climate change, overuse of resources, and conflict between people and wildlife.

Well done if you managed to list some of those challenges.

The Sundarbans are a unique and valuable ecosystem, so it's important to protect them.

Both India and Bangladesh have put laws and regulations in place to help preserve these incredible regions.

Additionally, there are wildlife sanctuary set up to conserve its diverse plant and animals that call the Sundarbans home.

I would like you to think of other ways that we could protect the Sundarbans.

Pause the video here whilst you have a think and press play when you're ready to continue.

Excellent, to protect the Sundarbans, both countries have established laws to limit activities like deforestation, poaching, and overfishing.

These laws help to keep the region safe from human activities that could harm its environment and wildlife.

There are three main wildlife sanctuaries in the Sundarbans, the Sundarbans Reserve Forest, Sundarbans National Park, and Sundarbans Wildlife Sanctuary.

These sanctuaries are protected areas where human activity is controlled or restricted.

The goal is to create a safe space for wildlife, including the famous Royal Bengal tiger, saltwater crocodiles, and other endangered species.

The Sundarbans are protected both by laws and wildlife sanctuaries in India and in Bangladesh.

These efforts to help conserve the region's biodiversity and ensure the future generations can continue to enjoy and learn from its unique ecosystems. Let's take a closer look at the conservation measures in Sundarbans.

They're monitoring wildlife populations, they support local communities to adapt to climate change, they have anti-poaching patrols, they create wildlife corridors to allow species to move freely between parts of the forest, and they have mangrove restoration projects.

Which is not an example of a conservation measure in the Sundarbans.

Is it A creating wildlife corridors, B, monitoring wildlife populations, or C, release of new wildlife? Pause the video here whilst you attempt this task and press play when you're ready to check your answer.

Excellent, the answer is C, release of new wildlife is not a conservation method that is used in the Sundarbans.

Can you think of another example of a conservation measure? Pause the video here whilst you have a think and press play when you're ready to continue.

Excellent, education is another great example of a conservation measure.

By teaching local people about the importance of the mangroves, it will help them to use the mangroves sustainably without over exploiting the resources and animals in the local area.

I would now like you to complete the table by listing examples of benefits provided by the Sundarbans, the challenges faced by the Sundarbans and conservation measures in place to protect the Sundarbans.

Pause the video here whilst you attempt this task and press play when you're ready to continue.

Excellent, your answers should look a bit like this.

The benefits providing habitats for a huge variety of wildlife, protecting against coastal erosion and storm surges and reducing the risk of flooding.

The challenges, climate change, and overuse of resources.

And conservation measures, anti-poaching patrols, monitoring wildlife populations, creating wildlife corridors to allow species to move freely between different parts of the forest.

We might have also included, absorbing and storing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, providing food and income for fishing communities.

And the challenges, the conflict between people and wildlife and conservation measures, mangrove restoration projects and supporting local communities to adapt to climate change.

Well done if you managed to include any of the following points in your answer.

We've now come to the end of our lesson in learning about Coastal India, the Sundarbans.

You've done brilliantly in today's lesson, but before we end, let's summarise everything that we've learned today.

The Sundarbans are a mangrove forest located in Northeast India and Southwest Bangladesh in the Bay of Bengal.

This incredible region is home to a wide range of unique animals and plays an important role in the environment.

Let's take a closer look at the Sundarbans, its challenges and efforts being made to protect it.

The Sundarbans is a stretch across the Bay of Bengal, covering parts of India and Bangladesh.

This area is famous for its rich wildlife, including the Royal Bengal tiger and estuarine crocodile.

It's one of the last remaining places where you can find these amazing animals in the wild.

The Sundarbans are home to one of the largest remaining mangrove forests in the world, making it a critical ecosystem for both land and marine life.

The Sundarbans face several challenges that threaten their health and survival.

Climate change with rising sea levels and extreme weather events like cyclones put the entire region at risk.

People in the region rely on the forest for food, honey and fish, but they overuse it, and this can lead to damage to the ecosystem.

As people and animals share the same spaces, there are often dangerous encounters like tiger attacks or damage to crops and livestock.

To protect the Sundarbans, there are three wildlife sanctuaries in the region, the Sundarbans Reserve Forest, National Park, and Wildlife Sanctuary.

These sanctuaries help to preserve the biodiversity of the region by creating protected spaces where wildlife can thrive and human activities are carefully managed.

The Sundarbans are a unique and vital ecosystem that face many challenges, but conservation efforts including wildlife sanctuaries and protective laws are helping to safeguard its future.

The rich biodiversity of the Bengal Tiger and estuarine Crocodile is just one example of the incredible wildlife that calls the Sundarbans home.

Well done in today's lesson.

You've done brilliantly.

I look forward to learning with you again very soon.