The number of tigers in the Sundarbans is increasing, how many in the last survey?

Tiger count completed in Sundarbans through camera trapping. Analyzing the preliminary data, the survey showed an increase in the number of tigers. Although the results of the third tiger survey were to be announced on July 29 (Monday) Tiger Day, it has been postponed considering the current situation. However, experts say that along with the increase in the number of tigers, the forest department must also work to protect it, increase its reproductive capacity and increase the number of tiger prey.

Royal Bengal Tiger. One of the attractions of Sundarbans. Their role is above all to maintain the balance of Sundarbans. Many tourists are now capturing pictures of tigers on their cameras while traveling to the Sundarbans.

The number of tigers in the Sundarbans has been decreasing in the last few decades due to various reasons including poachers, forest bandits, free movement in the sanctuary, natural disasters. The number of tiger prey was also decreasing. In the last tiger survey in 2028, the number of tigers in Sundarbans was found to be 114.

After that, the forest department took various initiatives including increasing the sanctuaries and making the Sundarbans free from bandits. The benefits of which have also started to match. In the meantime, the government has adopted the Sundarban Tiger Conservation Project to increase the breeding, safety and number of tigers. As part of this project, the Sundarbans tiger census was started for the third time in 2022 and will continue until February 2024. Images were collected by placing cameras in 639 grids of Satkhira, Khulna and Bagerhat ranges. Analysis is now going on with the data of these pictures.

According to forest department sources, more than 150,000 pictures of various species of animals are initially obtained in camera trapping. The analysis was carried out with the pictures of 7500 tigers, which ended on July 7. Analysis is now underway to identify unique tiger images from these seven and a half thousand tiger images.

The experts involved in the study have analyzed and found that the salinity of the Sundarbans water and land has increased due to natural causes; Which has an effect on the location and density of tigers. Such information has emerged in the data analysis of this survey. Although the number of tigers in the Khulna range was found to be low in the last two surveys, this time it has increased. This will be reflected in the total number of tigers, says the forest department.

The forest department is expecting that the number of tigers will increase in this survey. The result of this survey was supposed to be published on Tiger Day on July 29, but it has been postponed due to the current situation.

Divisional Forest Officer of Sundarban West Forest Department. Abu Naser Mohsin Hossain said, for the last two years we have collected pictures of tigers from different areas of Sundarbans. In this survey we got a lot of pictures of tigers. We got about 1.5 lakh pictures of different species of animals, from there we got about 7.5 thousand pictures of tigers, from here we are slowly analyzing how many unique tigers there are.

He also said that I have found more pictures of tigers in areas where salt is less than in the salty areas of the Sundarbans. In the last two surveys there were few pictures of tigers in the Khulna range, but in this survey we got a lot of pictures of tigers in the Khulna range. That will have a positive effect on the total number of tigers in the Sundarbans.

However, despite the increase in the number of tigers, experts suggest to take long-term initiatives to increase the breeding area, ensure the protection of tigers and increase the number of animals preyed upon by tigers.

Farooq Ahmed, director of Sundarban Academy, said that tigers have a close relationship with Sundarbans. To sustain the Sundarbans, the tiger must be sustained. In order to sustain tigers, it is not only tiger surveys or tiger conservation projects, but the whole ecosystem of Sundarbans has to be worked on. Work should be done to increase the number of tiger prey. In particular, work should be done to increase the number of deer and pigs. Besides, safe breeding of tigers and safe places for tigers should be made during emergencies. All in all, the forest department has to take long-term initiatives.

In addition to tiger survey, the three-year tiger conservation project will include 49 village tiger response teams to resolve tiger-human conflict in the Sundarbans, and construction of 12 mud forts for tiger emergency shelter. The cost of which has been estimated at 36 crores.