Despite conservation investments, Bengal tigers still struggle in Bangladesh

Although Bangladesh has invested millions of dollars into tiger conservation efforts over the past two decades, ineffective and inadequate measures have delayed success in tiger conservation.

The country has so far allocated $11 million for tiger conservation, according to data extracted from projects implemented by government and non-governmental organizations. Ironically, the number of Bengal tigers (panthera tigris tigris) decreased to 114 in 2018 compared to 440 in 2004.

Bangladesh shares most of the world’s largest mangrove forest (60%) with neighboring India. This mangrove forest is home to many wild animals, including lynx. In Bangladesh, mangroves are the only habitat for the Bengal tiger, which is listed as an endangered species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

In addition to Bangladesh, Bengal tiger habitats also exist in the neighboring countries of India, Nepal, Bhutan, and Myanmar.

According to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), populations are stable or growing in China, Russia, India, Nepal and Bhutan. WWF also estimates that there are 5,574 wild tigers in 13 countries around the world.

The Bangladesh government declared 52% of the Sundarbans (6,017 square kilometers or 2,323 square miles) as protected areas in 2020, up from 23% previously. Bangladeshi authorities have declared three wildlife sanctuaries in the Sundarbans, but none specifically for tigers.

“There are three wildlife sanctuaries in the Sundarbans: East, West and South Sanctuaries[ies] Mihir Kumar Do, conservator of forests of Khulna circle, said that it has been declared for all wild animals but not specifically for tigers.

According to the Bangladesh Forest Department, there are 25 wildlife sanctuaries in the country, but none are dedicated to tigers.

When asked why there are no dedicated tiger reserves, Abu Nasser Mohsin Hossein, director of the Tiger Conservation Project, replied: It is not possible to declare a specific area for tigers as they roam all over the forest. They never stayed in one place. Therefore, it is not possible to create some areas for tigers. That would disturb their natural habitat. ”

He added that the Bangladesh part of the Sundarbans is technically a tiger reserve as there are over 50 tiger reserves in India.

Bangladesh has implemented several initiatives for the protection of tigers, including the Tiger Action Plan 2009-17, the Bangladesh Tiger Action Plan 2018-27, the National Tiger Recovery Program, and the Wildlife (Protection and Safety) Act 2012. We are taking the following measures.

Bangladesh has undertaken a number of projects between 2004 and 2025 aimed at protecting the Bengal tiger. However, so far, the results of these activities have not been remarkable. In 2010, the International Tiger Conservation Forum held a summit in Russia, where tiger range countries committed to doubling the world’s tiger population by 2022.

As per the conference’s decision, countries in the tiger range have committed to conducting surveys every four years to monitor progress, which Bangladesh has also done. However, while the number of tigers has not increased, the scenario is opposite in Nepal and India.

While Bangladesh has no declared tiger reserves, India’s 50 tiger reserves are home to 80% of the world’s tigers. The Sundarban Tiger Reserve in West Bengal is one of them and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. India, Nepal, and Bhutan have also designated forest areas as tiger reserves.

The world’s largest tiger reserve is currently located in Myanmar. The Hukaung Valley Tiger Reserve will be more than three times the size of the tiger reserves already in place, and is believed to encompass the entire Hukaung Valley, which now covers almost 21,970 km2 (8,450 mi2).

Introducing tigers to the southeastern hills

Meanwhile, authorities took the initiative in 2020 to release tigers in the Chittagong Hills, a remote area of ​​southeastern Bangladesh on the border with India and Myanmar. However, a feasibility study revealed that conditions were inadequate for successful reintroduction.

Hossain said, “There is no other place in Bangladesh where tigers can live safely except in the Sundarbans. [during the British colonial period] There were 19 districts. Of these, 17 districts were tiger habitat. But today, people may not believe this, but we have a complete record of the last dead tiger in every district. ”

“We did a feasibility study on this, and then we found there were a lot of obstacles to reintroducing tigers there. Historically, these areas were important to the men who lived there. location, so at least considering reintroducing it. [tigers], plans to ensure safe living for humans and tigers should take at least 20 years. So there is no hope for now. ”

Naturally, questions arise about the outcome of the project. Some activists argue that feasibility studies and mismanagement of funds have contributed to the lack of success.

“The latest project, the Sundarbans Tiger Conservation Project 2022-25, is the first project fully funded by China,” Hossain said. [the] Bangladesh government. All project expenditures will be published on our website. In 2018, USAID did not give us a dime. They spent money where they felt it was necessary, and we couldn’t do anything. And through a World Bank project, we conducted tiger surveys and other awareness-raising activities to save tigers. ”

A wildlife expert working in Bangladesh told Mongabay on condition of anonymity that the amount of money the country allocates and spends on tiger conservation should not only at least double the number of tigers but also bring positive results. , said that unfortunately this is not the case. This incident occurred for several reasons, including weak coordination between donors and government agencies and the absence of intentional conservation measures.

Banner image: Sundarbans tiger. Image by Soumyajit Nandy via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0).

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