The post-mortem examination of the body of a Royal Bengal Tiger, which was rescued from Rupargang at Dublar Char in Sharankhola of East Sundarbans, was completed at the Sharankhola Range Office of the Forest Department on Saturday morning.
The bodies of four Royal Bengal Tigers were found in the same condition at Sharankhola Range in the Sundarbans in the last two and a half years and a tiger skin was seized along with the smuggler. According to the latest survey in 2016, there were 114 tigers in the Sundarbans. In 2015, the Forest Department of India and Bangladesh conducted a joint survey and found 108 tigers.
Sharankhola Range Officer (ACF) of the Forest Department Md Samusul Arefin told the correspondent that the smart patrol team of the Forest Department found the tiger dead in Rupargang area of Dubla around 12:30 pm on Friday. The tiger was rescued that night and brought to the range office. After completing the autopsy, the tiger was taken to Karamjal Wildlife Breeding Center. He said tiger experts, including wildlife officials, would inspect the area under the supervision of Khulna Ranger Md Lutfar Parvez of the Wildlife Conservation, Wildlife Management and Nature Conservation Department.
Sharankhola Upazila Animal Resources Officer Mohammad Tofazzel Hossain after autopsy said the male tiger was 9 feet long with a tail and 4 feet 3 inches wide. Age will be approximately 17 years. All teeth are protected.
The tiger's heart, skin, teeth, nails, flesh and food were collected as samples. Initially, the tiger is thought to have died of old age. However, the exact cause of death can be ascertained after the forensic report.
Earlier, on March 19 last year, the forest rangers of Supati station recovered the dead body of a tiger from Dhanchebaria char at around 8 pm and brought it to the range office. On February 3, 2020, a dead body of a tiger was recovered from Kabarkhali area of Kokilmoni patrol. On August 21, 2019, the dead body of a tiger was recovered from Chaprakhali Char in Katka Sanctuary area. Samples of the rescued tiger's body were found to have died naturally in the forensic lab.
On the other hand, on 19 January 2021, at 8 o'clock in the night, 8 members of RAB and Forest Department raided the Jalil Bridge near Rayenda bus stand of Sharankhola Upazila and smuggled a tiger skin with a tiger skin to a fugitive named Gaus Fakir, son of Rashid Fakir of Sharankhola Upazila.
Muhammad Belayet Hossain, divisional forest officer of East Sundarbans, said that tigers usually live for 15-16 years. So the tiger may die due to old age.
