The critically injured tiger was taken to the Khulna Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Center, a facility of the\u00a0Bangladesh Forest Department, for treatment.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe rescued the tiger from a snare set for deer poaching. After receiving adequate care, the tiger is now ready to return to the wild. We are planning to release her in a few days,\u201d said Md Rezaul Karim Chowdhury, divisional forest officer, Sundarbans East division.<\/p>\n
According to the\u00a0latest tiger census, conducted in 2024, Bangladesh is home to 125\u00a0globally endangered\u00a0Bengal tigers living in the Sundarbans mangrove forest.<\/p>\n Covering 6,017 square kilometers (2,323 square miles), the mangrove forest is administratively divided into Sundarbans East and Sundarbans West. It is also divided into three blocks \u2014 Chandpai-Sarankhola, Khulna and Satkhira.<\/p>\n As per the census, the highest number of Bengal tigers is found in the Chandpai-Sarankhola block.<\/p>\n \u201cThis indicates that the density of other wildlife, including deer and wild boars, is also higher in this block because the forest\u2019s top predators are more concentrated here,\u201d Chowdhury said, adding that illegal activities, including poaching, are therefore common in the area.<\/p>\n Since this will be the first release of its kind in the country involving a Bengal tiger, experts are divided over the procedure. Some say they believe the tiger should be fitted with a satellite collar so they can monitor her condition in the wild, while others say she has only recently recovered from severe stress and may not be able to withstand the added burden of carrying equipment or being tranquilized again.<\/p>\n Using a GPS-based collar is a common global practice when releasing such a \u201cproblem tiger.\u201d Neighboring countries such as India and Nepal often use this method. \u201cFollowing global practice, we decided to release the tiger with a GPS tracker,\u201d said Mohammad Abdul Aziz, a zoology professor at Jahangirnagar University, Dhaka.<\/p>\n \u201cSince the tiger has been out of her territory for the past six months, she may have lost [the territory] during that time. There is a strong chance she could return to a nearby [human settlement] in search of food,\u201d said Aziz, who is also a member of the expert committee formed to oversee the tiger\u2019s release. \u201cIf she is fitted with a GPS tag, we can monitor her movements and alert local residents if she tries to return to the area. Considering these factors, collaring would be the best option.\u201d<\/p>\n However, Hatem Sazzat Md Julkarnine, a veterinary surgeon at Gazipur Safari Park who cared for the wounded tiger, said, \u201cReleasing the tiger with extra equipment, such as a collar, could put her life at risk.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe rescued the tiger in critical condition. Her left foreleg was severely injured by the metal snare. Although she has recovered, she has already lost strength and reflexes,\u201d he told Mongabay. \u201cIn this condition, she will struggle to reclaim her territory and hunt for food. If we send her back with extra weight, it will be difficult for her to survive.\u201d<\/p>\n The alternative is to use camera traps.<\/p>\n \u201cWe decided to use a radio collar, but the issue remains pending because of technical problems in securing the equipment on time,\u201d Aziz said.<\/p>\n \u201cIf we are unable to obtain the collar within the next couple of days, we will use camera traps instead. In that case, the Forest Department will set up cameras across a 20-km2<\/sup>\u00a0[7.7-mi2<\/sup>] area where the tiger was rescued to monitor her condition,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n However, if she moves beyond the cameras\u2019 range, they may lose track of her, he added.<\/p>\n Among other illegal activities, deer poaching remains common in the Bangladeshi part of the Sundarbans. Some locals living on the forest\u2019s periphery and depending on mangrove resources for their livelihoods are involved in such illegal activities.<\/p>\n According to a\u00a0note<\/a>\u00a0released by the Forest Department, officials identified and removed traps made of rope and metal spanning about 35 kilometers (22 miles) from the eastern part of the forest over the past year. In addition, at least 70 poachers were detained and penalized.<\/p>\n The tiger\u2019s rescue from a poacher\u2019s trap reflects the Forest Department\u2019s recent exhaustive action against poachers through increased patrolling and arrests.<\/p>\n \u201cAs a result of these actions, the number of deer in the forest has also visibly increased,\u201d said Mohammed Mostafa Feeroz, a zoology professor at Jahangirnagar University who recently visited the forest.<\/p>\n \u201cI even found several female deer with triplets, which had been rare in the mangrove forest for a long time,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/imgs.mongabay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/07\/10084533\/snared-tiger-rescued.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
Debate over the release process<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Strict action against deer poaching<\/strong><\/h2>\n