The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Environment, Forest and Climate Change wants to turn the forests in the hilly regions into a sanctuary for the Royal Bengal Tiger. As reported by this daily on Wednesday the committee has asked the authorities concerned to conduct a feasibility study to become sure of whether the ecosystem in these areas is suitable for the Royal Bengal Tiger.
A report published by United Nations warns us that that Climate change and rising sea levels eventually may wipe out one of the world’s last and largest tiger strongholds within the next 50 years. Bengal Tigers are among the most endangered animals on earth. Once the existence of the Royal Bengal Tiger was all over Bangladesh. At present, the Royal Bengal Tiger lives only in the Sundarbans. The number of these beautiful felines is decreasing at a rapid pace.
The government should keep
the tiger habitat out
of harmful projects
Beyond climate change, the Sundarbans are under growing pressure from industrial developments, new roads, and greater poaching. Thus tigers are getting a double whammy—greater human encroachment on the one hand and a worsening climate and associated sea-level rises on the other. But researchers emphasize there is still hope.
As the tigers are on the verge of extinction, we should devise priority projects to facilitate procreation of this endangered species. The government needs to take necessary steps to keep track on the progress of tiger conservation projects through regular pugmark surveys. We must keep the tiger habitat out of harmful projects and adopt the policy of protecting biodiversity of the Sundarbans rather than allowing it to be damaged in the name of development. We know that the Sundarbans hosts the world’s largest mangrove forest and a rich ecosystem supporting several hundred animal species. There is no other place like the Sundarbans left on Earth. We have to look after this iconic ecosystem if we want Bengal tigers to have a chance of survival. In this regard, establishments that are harmful to the Sundarbans should be shut down, and the people who are involved in harming the forest should be punished. Activities such as cutting woods, poaching and building establishments inside the critical area should not be allowed.
