All work for counting of tigers through camera trapping to know the real number of tigers in the Sundarbans has been completed. A total of 1210 cameras under 605 grits at different places in four ranges of the Sundarbans were set up to collect the photos of the tigers.
A representative team of 45, including specialists and consultants, were involved in the work at different stages to identify the numbers of the tigers.
In the last tiger census in 2018, the number of tigers was 114. The result of the latest tiger census will be published on October 8.
The Forest Department sources said the first phase of tiger census through setting up the trapping cameras was started at Khulna Satkhira range of the west Sundarbans in January, 2023.
The second phase of the tiger census was started in the same way at Sarankhola and Chandpai range of the East Sundarbans in November, 2023. The count work was supposed to be completed in April of this year. However, the result could not be published on July 29, World Tigers Day, as the census work was not finished on that time.
Two cameras were set up at 145 points each in all ranges for 40 days in Sarankhola and Chandpai range of the east Sundarbans. A total of 7,500 photos of tigers were captured in this census. However, more than one photo of the same tiger was captured. So, unique ID was created for each tiger in a scientific way. The specialists are scrutinizing those. The cubs of tigers were spotted more in the research. It is assumed that the number of tigers has increased in the Sundarbans. Tigers in couple and individually were noticed by the tourists and forest department in Sarankhola range area of the East Sundarbans. According to a source, more tigers were noticed in those areas where salinity was less.
In 2003, Forest Department UNDP and Indian specialist team in a survey counted 440 tigers, including 21 cubs. In 2009, Forest Department and Wildlife Trust of Bangladesh in a survey counted 400 to 450 tigers.
In a survey from November, 2013 to April, 2015, the number of tigers stood at only 106. The news created questions on the existence of tigers. Then several initiatives were taken for reservation and increase of tigers.
In another survey with 491 trapping cameras in 1659 square kilometers area from December, 2016 to 24th April, 2018, the number of tigers stood at 114.Project Director of the Tiger Conservation Project and Divisional Forest Officer Dr Abu Naser Mohsin Hossain told the Bangladesh Post that all work of the tiger census has already been completed. A representative team of 45 were involved in the work at different stages to identify the numbers of the tigers through trapping cameras. A total of 1210 cameras under 605 grits at different places in Sarankhola, Chandpai, Khulna and Satkhira ranges of the Sundarbans were set up to collect the photos of the tigers. The survey was done in an area of 2,500 square kilometers of 6,017 square kilometers of the Sundarbans. The cost of tiger census is Tk 3 crore 40 lakh. The result of the census will be officially declared in Dhaka on October 8.
