The Sundarbans’ most iconic inhabitant, the Royal Bengal tiger, continues to battle growing threats as 62 tigers have died in the Bangladesh section of the forest over the past two decades.
The Forest Department said poaching, straying into human settlements, illness and old age were the main causes of the deaths.
It stressed the need to protect tiger habitats and crack down on poachers.
Of the 62 deaths, 30 occurred in the eastern division and 32 in the western division.
Of them, 26 tigers were killed by poachers, 14 died in mob attacks, 21 died of natural causes, while one was swept away by Cyclone Sidr’s storm surge in 2007.
Authorities have tightened conservation measures by restricting public access to the forest.
Khulna Divisional Forest Officer of the Wildlife Management and Nature Conservation Division Nirmal Kumar Pal said the last tiger death was recorded in 2023 and none had died since then.
He attributed the improvement partly to growing public awareness.
Abdullah Bani, member secretary of the Bangladesh Nature and Wildlife Protection Centre, said poachers continued to target tigers for skins and body parts, driven by the lucrative illegal trade.
“Tigers are the beauty of the Sundarbans. Their presence has helped keep the forest protected. Poachers have killed countless tigers over the years.”
“Poachers sell tiger skins and body parts for huge profits. Their activities have not stopped, and organised groups strike whenever they get the chance.”
He urged authorities to control unrestricted movement by forest-dependent communities and strengthen law enforcement.
Pal said the Sundarbans has four range offices, 11 stations and 61 patrol outposts, backed by smart patrol teams.
He added that 74km of nylon fencing had already been installed to prevent uncontrolled entry and reduce human-tiger conflict.