The number of Royal Bengal Tigers in the Sundarbans in Bangladesh has increased steadily over the past decade despite continuing conservation challenges, reinforcing hopes for the species’ long-term survival.
Despite the continued threats of poaching, climate change, habitat degradation and illegal activities inside the forest, the number of tigers in the forest has shown a gradual increase over the past decade, according to the Forest Department.
World Tiger Day is being observed on Wednesday (July 29) under the theme, “Be Aware, Conserve Tigers.” In recent years, Bangladesh has moved national observances beyond Dhaka, involving communities living around the Sundarbans to strengthen public participation in tiger conservation.
Slow but steady recovery
Bangladesh began estimating tiger numbers through camera-trap surveys in 2015, replacing older pugmark-based methods.
The first survey estimated 106 tigers in the Bangladesh Sundarbans. A second survey in 2018 recorded 114 tigers, while the latest survey completed in October 2024 estimated the population at 125.
The consistent increase of roughly 10 tigers in each survey has been viewed by conservationists as evidence that protection measures are producing results, although they caution that the population remains vulnerable.
Forest officials and people who regularly work inside the Sundarbans said tiger sightings have become more frequent than in previous years.
Last Friday afternoon, a tiger was spotted roaming near the Andharmanik Ecotourism Centre.
Analysis of images captured by 20 recently-installed camera traps in the same area over one week also identified three tigers.
Officials say incidents of tigers straying into nearby villages have declined significantly, reducing human-tiger conflict. Forest workers and tourists are increasingly reporting sightings of tiger pairs, and occasionally groups of three.
Earlier this year, on January 4, Forest Department personnel rescued a female tiger from a poacher’s snare inside the Sundarbans. Estimated to be around 10 years old, the tigress remained trapped for several days and was in critical condition.
After months of treatment and rehabilitation, she was released back into the forest on July 12.
Conservation gains overshadowed by losses
While tiger numbers are rising, mortality remains a major concern.
Forest Department data show that between 2001 and 2025, 61 tigers died in the Sundarbans.
Of them, 26 were killed by criminals, 14 died after entering human settlements and being attacked by local people, 19 died of natural causes, while two died during Cyclone Sidr and other incidents.
Authorities also recovered tiger skins and skeletal remains during the same period, indicating continued illegal wildlife trafficking.
The eastern division of the Sundarbans recorded 30 tiger deaths, while the western division accounted for 31.
During the same period, tiger attacks claimed the lives of 13 people in the eastern Sundarbans.
A global bright spot
The Sundarbans’ improving tiger population stands out against the global decline of the species.
A new report from wildlife trade monitoring network TRAFFIC has warned that criminal networks involved in wildlife trafficking are adapting more quickly than conservation efforts can keep pace. It said the global wild tiger population, which stood at about 100,000 a century ago, has declined dramatically to an estimated 3,700-5,500 animals.
Three tiger subspecies—the Bali, Javan and Caspian tigers—have already become extinct.
Wild tigers now survive in only 10 countries, including Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, China and Russia.
Deforestation, poaching and illegal wildlife trade continue to threaten tiger populations worldwide.
Protection efforts intensify
Md Rezaul Karim Chowdhury, divisional forest officer (DFO) of the Sundarbans East Forest Division, said anti-poaching operations have been strengthened considerably in recent years.
Forest guards now conduct regular foot patrols, while drones are also being used during enforcement operations.
Over the past year, authorities recovered a large number of traps set for hunting tigers and deer, arrested 70 deer poachers and submitted a list of 150 suspected poachers to law enforcement agencies.
“The activities of poachers have declined because of continuous enforcement drives,” he said. “As a result, tiger movement inside the forest has increased.”
He added that no tiger has been killed in nearby villages in recent years.
Boundary fencing has also helped reduce cross-border movement, allowing tigers approaching the frontier to return safely to the forest, while the increasing deer population has improved prey availability.
Parallel search operations have also made it more difficult for poachers to lay traps.
“Tigers are now being seen on forest trails, beside ponds and canals, and sometimes even near Forest Department offices,” he said. “Tourists are also getting opportunities to see tigers during visits to the Sundarbans.”
He expressed optimism that the next tiger census would record another increase.
AZM Hasanur Rahman, DFO of the Sundarbans West Forest Division, said the department remains vigilant in protecting both tigers and other forest resources and expects the results of ongoing conservation initiatives to be reflected in future surveys.
Forest-dependent communities notice the difference
People who have spent decades working in the Sundarbans say they, too, have witnessed an increase in tiger presence.
Kamal Uddin Ahmed, president of the Dubla Fishermen Group, said he has been involved in Sundarbans-based businesses for nearly five decades and has seen more than 50 tigers during that time.
“Every tiger has a unique pattern of stripes and colour,” he said. “Seeing a Royal Bengal Tiger in its natural habitat is an unforgettable experience.”
He said tiger movement inside the forest has become more common than before.
However, he warned that disruption of tiger movement corridors could affect breeding in the future and stressed the need to protect breeding habitats inside the forest.
Long-term planning essential
Wildlife conservationist Prof Dr Anwarul Islam, CEO of WildTeam and Former Professor of the Department of Zoology, University of Dhaka, said climate change, poaching, poisoning associated with fishing, forest-based criminal activities and mounting human pressure continue to threaten the Sundarbans ecosystem.
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Despite these challenges, tiger numbers have not declined over the past 12 years, he said, describing the increase as a significant conservation achievement.
“But sustaining this success will require long-term planning and continued investment in addressing the existing threats,” he said.
About four million people depend directly or indirectly on the Sundarbans for their livelihoods, making it essential to reduce pressure on forest resources, strengthen the capacity of the Forest Department and involve local communities in conservation, he added.
He also called for stricter enforcement of wildlife protection laws.
Prof Islam warned that many rivers and canals flowing through the Sundarbans have become silted up, disrupting the natural tidal flow that sustains the mangrove ecosystem.
Unless these waterways are restored through regular dredging under a long-term management plan, the ecological health of the forest itself could be at risk, he said.
“And without the Sundarbans,” he added, “the Royal Bengal Tiger will lose its only natural home in Bangladesh.”