Nijhum Dwip National Park

Nijhum Dwip National Park

A significant portion of the tiny island of Nijhum Dweep (also mentioned as Nijhum Dwip), located within the Bay of Bengal under the jurisdiction of the Noakhali District of Bangladesh, was designated in 2001 because the Nijhum Dweep park. The park is rich in plant and animal life, also as being home to plentiful bird-life, while hosting numerous migratory birds.

The forestry department of Bangladesh created lush mangrove forests in Nijhum Dweep as a part of conservation efforts for the world. One among the most attractions in these forests is that the herd of Spotted Deer, which is believed to number quite 5,000. The Keora (or Kerfa) tree was chosen for its fast growing root age, which anchors itself into the sandy ground. The leaves of this hardy tree are the spotted deer’s favorite food, but most of the leaves are too high for the deer to succeed in. In a superb example of how animals help each other, the resident monkeys shake or pluck the leaves from the trees, dropping them where the deer can pick them up. The wood of the trees is employed within the construction of housing, as materials for boat manufacture and therefore the manufacture of agricultural implements, also as fuel for domestic use. Other animals that visitors are likely to ascertain within the Nijhum Dweep park and off its shores include Clawless Otter, Fishing Cat, Snakes, Tortoises, Turtles and Dolphins.

At high water a big potion of the island becomes covered in water, aside from the cultivated, inhabited areas. Additionally to the mangrove forest, the island has huge inter-tidal mudflats and sand-flats, which are of utmost importance to resident and migratory water-fowl, and is the southernmost stop-over for on the brink of 100 species of migratory birds, around a dozen of which are considered to be globally critically endangered. Birding enthusiasts can look out for various species of Heron, Egret, Cormorant and Ibis, also as Spotted Green Shank, Spotted Red Shank, Spoon-billed Sandpiper and Indian Skimmer.

The inhabited a part of the island is cultivated and watered by variety of water streams running across it. The people living on Nijhum Dweep make a living from fishing, and are self-sustaining to an extent through the produce they grow and there are a couple of markets on the island, selling all kinds of general necessities.

Those who have visited the Nijhum Dweep Park will tell you that getting there's an adventure in itself, with the last leg of the journey on an area motorboat or “water-taxi”. But the overall consensus is that the Nijhum Dweep Park may be a fascinating place to explore when visiting Bangladesh, and becoming familiar with the people that survive the island is an unforgettable experience.