According to a new survey by the Forest Department, the number of Royal Bengal tigers in the Sundarbans has increased from 106 in 2005 to 114 in 2018. The survey was conducted under the Bengal Tiger Conservation Activity Project and funded by USAID.
This is a great victory for us even though it may not seem like much. The results of the survey prove that there is indeed hope for our tigers. We must use this opportunity to further strengthen our conservation efforts and punish poachers harshly in order to send a message.
Royal Bengal tiger has been listed as Endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species since 2008. It is a shame that the animal that we have designated to be our national animal might soon become extinct due to our own actions. The wildlife conservation authorities should be mindful of the animal trafficking that is continuing to this very day.
The wildlife conservation
authorities should be mindful
of the animal trafficking that is
continuing to this very day
Loss of habitat is also a factor in the steady decline of the animals. As a result, the tigers often attack villages leading to human deaths and ultimately the demise of the animal itself. According to a recent study, climate change may destroy Sundarbans’ tigers in 50 years. The study, carried out by a team of Bangladeshi and Australian scientists, claims that tiger habitats in the Sundarbans will vanish entirely by 2070.
Tourism in the Sundarbans should also be regulated to prevent further harm to the habitat of our tigers. The government must allocate funds to protecting and ensuring the welfare of the animals.
The symbolic value of the Royal Bengal tiger can hardly be overstressed as they not only represent our heritage, our pride and even our national cricket team. The proud mammal has been residing in the Indian subcontinent for the last 12,000 years. But due to our reckless behavior and insatiable greed we might soon lose these majestic creatures.