In the Bangladesh part of the Sunderbans, the number of tigers has risen to 114 from 106 in the last three years, reveals a latest survey done with camera tracking. It’s believed that the number of large cats rose due to the fall in the intrusion of forest pirates and poachers.
Specialists say that if the Sunderbans is made safe then the number of tigers will rise fast. As per information, in 1975, there were 350 tigers in the Sunderbans, which rose to 430-450 in 1984.
In 2004, the number was 440. At that time, tiger counting was done through pug marks. But in 2015, the number came down alarmingly to 106.
In the last census done on May 22, the number rose to 114.
Between 2001-2018, 50 tigers have died with only 10 dying naturally. Locals beat to death, 14 tigers, 25 were killed by poachers while one died during cyclone SIDR.
Member of the Bagerhat, Sharankhola community patrol group, Rasel Ahmed, said: “Public awareness has been created about sending back of tigers that stray into human settlements. As a result, people do not beat and kill tigers anymore.”
Chairman of Save the Sunderbans, Dr Sheikh Faridul Islam, said: “Tigers are mainly targeted by poachers who kill the cats and smuggle body parts to other countries.”
The government should refrain from establishing any industry or factory near the Sunderbans, he stated.
Forest officer, Mahmudul Hassan, adds: “The number of Royal Bengal Tigers has risen due to the fall of intrusions by poachers. More than half of the forest has been declared reserved forest area to allow free movement of the tigers; to prevent poaching, smart patrolling with technology has begun.”
Deputy Minister for environment, forest and climate change, Habibun Nahar Talukder, said: “The current government has taken many steps to increase the number of tigers; the Sunderbans has been freed of poachers and, in three years, tiger number has risen with eight new cats.”