Today is World Tiger Day, but are our tigers safe yet?
In a Nutshell:
- The Sundarbans Forest Division currently has 80 Bengal Tigers, according to latest census. Officials believe the number could move to 100 with continued protection.
- The most recent tiger survey in 2024 estimated 125 tigers in the Sundarbans, compared with 114 in 2018 and 106 in 2015.
Why it Matters
The rise in tiger sightings shows years of conservation work are paying off, from regular patrols to removing poaching traps. But Bangladesh’s own Tiger Action Plan and National Tiger Recovery Program warned that saving tigers depends on fixing gaps in wildlife crime enforcement, technical capacity, funding, community involvement and protecting the Sundarbans ecosystem itself.
Who it matters to
Today is World Tiger Day, and the Sundarbans is giving Bangladesh a reason to celebrate. More tiger sightings and signs of a growing population show conservation efforts are working, but threats facing tigers have not disappeared. Nearly 200 tigers have reportedly been killed illegally in the Sundarbans since 1960, showing human activity remains one of the biggest threats. Poaching for tiger parts and pressure on the forest continue to put their survival at risk. At the “Save the Sundarbans, Save the Tiger” programme in Mongla today, environmental activists warned that wildlife trafficking, climate change and harmful activities inside the forest remain challenges. State Minister for Fisheries and Livestock Sultan Salauddin Tuku also said Bangladesh’s tiger population is still too small to prevent extinction. Bangladesh has shown tiger recovery is possible, but keeping that progress alive will require attention beyond World Tiger Day.
