Tiger population is declining alarmingly in the Bangladesh part of the Sundarbans, a world heritage site and home to the Royal Bengal Tiger.
There were only 106 Bengal Tigers in Bangladeshi part of the Sundarbans, according to a tiger’s census report of 2015.
Later, the 2017-2018 tiger census identified 114 tigers in the Sundarbans of Bangladesh side.
According to the Forest Department, 48 tigers died between 2001 and 2020. Among those, 22 died in Sundarbans’ East Division and 16 in West Division.
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Besides, law enforcers recovered ten tiger hides during this period.
Md Amir Hosain Chowdhury, Chief Conservator of Forests (CCF), said a project named ‘Bagh Songrokkhon’ (conservation of tigers) has been introduced which will be sent to the concerned ministry next month.
The three-year project expense has been fixed Tk 48 crore, he said adding that the project will start its activities by January 2021 if it is approved.
WildTeam Chief Executive and Dhaka University’s Zoology Department Professor Dr Md Anwarul Islam said thousands of people are dependent on the Sundarbans.
All people should be involved in conserving the tiger population and political people should also be trained.
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WildTeam wishes to establish a tiger-sensitive village in Sundarbans-adjacent area and they have already experimental activities in three villages in Satkhira, he added.
Mohammad Belayet Hossain, divisional forest officer (DFO), Sundarbans East, said a smart patrolling is active in the Sundarbans besides their regular drives against tiger poachers.
Boshirul Al Mamun, DFO, Sundarbans West Division, said they kept the main poachers entry point under special surveillance.
Bangladesh-India Joint Tiger Census Project conducted the tiger census in 2015, examined 1,500 images and footprints of tigers from the Sundarbans through camera trapping and found the horribly low figure of tigers.
According to the tiger census conducted by the government in 2004, the Bangladesh part of the Sundarbans was a home to 440 tigers.
International Tiger Day is being observed on July 29 every year since 2010 since the Saint Petersburg Tiger Summit.
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