Some of the tiger's foods are increasing in the Sundarbans, reveals latest survey

Royal Bengal Tiger is decreasing in numbers in the Sundarbans, a concern for environmental activists and common people. One of the prime reasons was reducing the amount of food in the mangrove.

Royal Bengal Tigers mainly feed on six main types of food. One of these is the Maya deer. The animal is rapidly declining in the Sundarbans. 

However, recent research has suggested that in the past 30 years, three of the tiger's other five food sources have increased. The number of spotted deer and wild boar has doubled. The number of monkeys has also increased.

Researchers say these animals, known as the tiger's food, are also part of the Sundarbans' biodiversity. As a result, these animals must also be conserved to protect the Sundarbans.

A three-year study of the primary food sources of tigers in the Sundarbans has revealed such information. The study was conducted in collaboration with the Department of Forests, German Cooperation, and the IUCN Switzerland branch, a coalition of international organisations for nature conservation. 

Professor Abdul Aziz, head of the Department of Zoology at Jahangirnagar University, led the study. 

The report was officially released on July 29, on the occasion of International Tiger Day. The theme of the day this year is 'Conservation of tigers will enrich the Sundarbans.'

In this matter, Professor Abdul Aziz told Prothom Alo, "This is the first time we have used a single method to survey the main food sources of tigers in the Sundarbans.

From the results of this survey, we can now take the necessary initiatives to conserve tiger food. In addition, we will be able to compare the number of these foods in the future to see if they have increased."

The survey has revealed the number of spotted deer, the main food of tigers in the Sundarbans. In the 1980s, a survey showed that there were 80,000 to 85,000 spotted deer in the Sundarbans. This number has now increased to 141,357. 

However, the number of another species of deer in the Sundarbans, the Maya deer, is declining. The Maya deer has already been declared extinct in the Indian Sundarbans. In the 1980s, a survey in Bangladesh found 2,265 Maya deer. In the latest survey, only 687 Maya deer were found.

After deer, the wild boar is the tiger's second favourite food in the Sundarbans. In the latest survey, 45,110 wild boars were found. In the previous survey, the number was 28,000. 

Spotted deer account for 79 per cent of the tiger's diet in the Sundarbans, and wild boars contribute 11 per cent.

The research survey has found three other food sources for tigers in the Sundarbans, including monitor lizards, porcupines, and monkeys. 

The survey found 25,124 monitor lizards, 12,241 porcupines, and 152,444 monkeys. The number of monitor lizards and porcupines has not been surveyed before. However, in the 1980s, a survey found 126,220 monkeys.

Professor Anwar Hossain, head of the Department of Zoology at Dhaka University, remarked, "We cannot sustain the Sundarbans by taking initiatives to conserve tigers alone. We need to protect the entire ecosystem of the Sundarbans, including tigers' food."

m.nishat26@gamil.com