Increased Tiger Sightings in Sundarbans Signal Ecosystem Recovery
Photo Collected
Forest officials in the Sundarbans have documented a rare surge in tiger sightings over the past week, signaling a positive shift in the ecosystem of the world’s largest mangrove forest. The encounters, captured on video by patrolling guards, provide compelling evidence of a thriving tiger population currently enjoying a period of reduced human disturbance.
On Sunday morning, a tiger was observed swimming across a canal near the Tiger Point area of the Kochikhali Sanctuary in the Sarankhola Range. According to Saifur Rahman, a boat pilot with the Forest Department’s SMART team, the tiger was midway through its crossing when it heard the noise of the patrol boat and circled back toward the forest. Rahman described the close-up encounter as a rare experience, noting that tigers are notoriously elusive and typically avoid human contact.
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This sighting follows a similar, equally striking incident just two days prior near the Andharmanik Ecotourism Center in the Chandpai Range. A full-grown tigress was filmed for nearly 15 minutes as she emerged from the banks of the Shela River and prowled past the local forest office. Forest worker Shyamal Kumar Pal, who first spotted the animal, said the tigress stood calmly in front of the office to survey her surroundings before retreating into the brush.
Forest officials attribute these increasingly bold sightings to a more secure and undisturbed habitat. The Forest Department has enforced a mandatory three-month ban on all forest entry for tourists and forest-dependent workers since June 1, creating a quieter environment that allows wildlife to roam freely. Officials also point to an increase in the prey base, specifically deer populations, as a key factor contributing to the tigers’ sense of security and more natural behavioral patterns.
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Evidence of a robust population extends beyond these recent sightings. Following the successful medical treatment and release of a tigress on July 13, the Forest Department deployed 20 trap cameras across an eight-kilometer stretch of forest to monitor her movement. The cameras confirmed the presence of at least three other tigers in the immediate vicinity, alongside a variety of other species, including spotted deer, barking deer, fishing cats, and wild boars.
Rezaul Karim Chowdhury, Divisional Forest Officer of the Sundarbans East, stated that the frequency of tiger pugmarks detected during routine patrols has risen, further suggesting an upward trend in the tiger population. As human activity remains restricted, these majestic predators appear to be reclaiming their domain with newfound confidence, offering a promising indicator for the long-term conservation of the region’s biodiversity.
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