Tiger population in Sundarbans rises to 114

Tiger. Photo: UNB
Tiger. Photo: UNB

The number of Royal Bengal Tiger in Bangladesh part of the the Sundarbans has increased to 114 from 106, reports UNB.

Environment, forest and climate change minister Md Shahab Uddin announced this on Wednesday while unveiling a report on 'Second Phase Status of Tiger in Bangladesh Sundarbans 2018'.

The second phase census began on 1 December, 2016 under the USAID (Bengal Tiger Conservation Activity (BAGH) project through camera trapping methods. The survey was conducted till 24th April, 2018 in 1656-sqkm area of the Sundarbans in four phases. The total area was divided into three blocks -- Satkhira, Khulna and Sharankhola ranges.

The cameras captured a total of 2,466 images during the 249-day census.

The first-phase survey of the USAID BAGH project recorded 106 tigers in 2015.

With the latest report, the number of tiger has increased by 8 per cent in three years.

The Bangladesh Forest Department jointly with Wildteam and the Smithsonian Conservation Institute, USA conducted the census.

The department of zoology at Jahangirnagar University helped analyse the data and prepare the final report.