OUR STORY OF REZVIN CONTINUED: factsheet of the case of WildTeam, protecting the Sundarbans its tigers in Bangladesh
The region supports several mangroves, including: sparse stands of Gewa (Excoecaria agallocha) and dense stands of Goran (Ceriops tagal), with discontinuous patches of Hantal palm (Phoenix paludosa) on drier ground, river banks and levees. The fauna of the sanctuary is very diverse with some 40 species of mammals, 260 species of birds and 35 species of reptiles. The greatest of these being the Bengal Tiger of which an estimated 350 remain in the Bangladesh Sundarbans. Other large mammals are wild boar, Chital horin (spotted deer), Indian otter and macaque monkey. Five species of marine turtles frequent the coastal zone and two endangered reptiles are present – the estuarine crocodile and the Indian python.
During the post-independence period, this region witnessed a sudden influx of population mainly due to migration. The displaced persons forcibly occupied vested lands and cleared forests for habitation. Several such colonies sprung up in this manner. It exerted negative impact on the economy of fringe population. In Sundarban, 36.5% of the population belongs to Scheduled Casts/Scheduled Tribes as compared to the State average of 25.61%. Nearly 95% of the population primarily depend on agriculture, which is mostly rain-fed mono-cropping, and about fifty percent of agriculturists are landless laborers. During agricultural lean season, people resort to fishing and collection of prawn seeds, even risking their lives from man-eating tigers and crocodiles. During April and May, some people also enter the Reserved Forests with permits, for collection of honey which is purchased back by West Bengal Forest Development Corporation Limited.
Backwardness of the region and almost complete dependence of the people on the natural resources of mangrove ecosystem can be attributed to the a number of factors. Uncontrolled population growth with low income level is a very important one. The population increased from 1.2 million in 1951 to more than 4 million in 2013.
Due to the population growth and other factors, the habitat of the Bengal tiger has declined. Bangladesh’s future is intertwined with that of its environment, so it is essential for biodiversity conservation to be mainstreamed into development policy and action. As the national animal of our country, the tiger represents an ideal focal point for our conservation efforts, particularly for the Sundarbans. As a symbol of ecosystem health, the tiger and its conservation are integral to the future of this forest. The conservation of the Sundarbans and the coastal greenbelt is critical for the security of the nation, particularly in light of predicted impacts of climate change. The Sundarbans provides essential ecological services for the whole region and the livelihoods of millions of local people.
Like all living beings, tigers need food and space to survive. Habitat loss and degradation imperil tigers by reducing, thinning, and fragmenting the area in which they can live and reproduce. The Sundarbans shares many threats to habitat in common with other tiger habitats, but also has a variety of factors unique to the socio-political landscape in which it is embedded and the particular dynamics of a mangrove ecosystem.
Due to the shrinking of the habitat, stray tigers now often enter villages. The Bangladesh Sundarbans suffers the highest levels of human killing by tigers in the world, and recent surveys suggest that livestock killing and retaliatory killings of tigers are also acute problems. In addition to personal bereavement, the death of a working family member or livestock is a significant economic loss to an already impoverished household. Conserving tigers in the Sundarbans, therefore, also includes a moral obligation to help the people that suffer because of the tiger’ s presence. It is essential to find solutions to minimize tiger – human conflict in order to reduce the misery inflicted on local communities and secure their support for tiger conservation.
First steps to reduce the conflict were piloted by the Forest Department and partners in the form of Tiger Response Teams. A boat based team tackles human killing inside the forest by providing medical assistance, transporting victims, retrieving bodies, and patrolling areas where human killers are active. Village based response teams are being created in the bordering village areas to deal with stray tigers and monitor livestock killing. The teams are reached through a Tiger Hotline number publicized in Forest Department posts and villages.
WildTeam has several programs aimed at the protection of the Sundarbans and the Bengal Tiger. We will highly appreciate your contribution to our efforts. Donations can be made through our website, which contains all the financial details and our account information.
Thank you for your attention.
Sources: Sundarban Biosphere Reserve, Wikipedia, Bangladesh Tiger Action Plan