Poachers’ snare traps tiger in Sundarbans, rescue underway

A Royal Bengal Tiger has been found trapped in a deadly snare set by deer poachers inside the Sundarbans, triggering urgent rescue efforts by forest officials amid fears for the animal’s survival.

The tiger was first spotted around noon on Saturday near Boiragi Bari along the Sarki’s Canal in Mongla of Bagerhat, roughly half a kilometre from human habitation. 

A local fisherman noticed the big cat struggling inside the trap and immediately alerted the Forest Department.

Officials from the Sundarbans East Division rushed to the site, cordoned off the area, and began preparations for a full-scale rescue operation, said Dipan Chandra Das, Assistant Conservator of Forests of the Chandpai Range.

Rescue efforts formally began on Sunday noon, with a specialised Forest Department team deployed to the scene. Divisional Forest Officer Md Rezaul Karim Chowdhury said all necessary measures are in place to safely free the animal.

“If needed, a tranquiliser gun will be used,” he said, adding that an expert team reached the location on Sunday morning. 

“If the tiger is injured or unwell, it will be shifted in an iron cage to a Forest Department rescue centre in Khulna or Dhaka. If it is healthy, it will be released back into the forest after expert assessment,” he added.

Forest Department personnel cordon off the area along Sarkir Canal to restrict access to the site where a Royal Bengal tiger is trapped. – Jago News Photo

Wildlife experts, however, warned that the delay may have already taken a toll on the animal. 

Prof Mohammad Anwarul Islam, chief executive of conservation group Wild Team, said the tiger has been suffering since Saturday, especially due to the ongoing cold weather.

“The rescue should have happened earlier,” he said. “The lack of a permanent veterinary surgeon in the Sundarbans delayed the operation. The tiger is under severe stress and could get injured inside the trap. After rescue, it will need proper medical care.”

Members of the Village Tiger Response Team have been guarding the area since Saturday night alongside Forest Department personnel to prevent human interference and ensure safety.

The incident has once again highlighted the threat posed by poaching in the world’s largest mangrove forest and the fragile state of tiger conservation. 

According to Forest Department camera trap surveys, the number of tigers in the Bangladesh part of the Sundarbans stood at 125 as of October 2024, up from 114 in 2018 and 106 in 2015.

For now, all eyes are on the rescue site, as forest officials and conservationists race against time to save one of the Sundarbans’ most iconic residents.

With inputs from UNB