UNB, Bagerhat :
Bangladesh Forest Department is going to install tracking devices in the Sundarbans in September next to catch poachers as wildlife hunting, particularly that of tigers, has taken a serious turn in the mangrove forest.
“Initially, the tracking devices will be installed in 15 boats of fishermen and five of the forest department. The devices will be applied using cellphone network,” divisional forest officer (Sundarbans East) M Saidul Islam told UNB.
Later, the devices will be set up across the forest, he said, adding that the tracking will be monitored by Forest Department’s Bagerhat and Chadpai Range offices. Saidul Islam said the tracking devices will give signals if poachers go to the Sundarbans to hunt animals, including tigers. Acting on any signal, the forest department staff along with members of law-enforcement agencies will rush to spot and catch the hunters.
The Forest Department goes on the vigorous conservation plan after the new tiger census 2015 has revealed that there are only 106 tigers
in the Bangladesh part of the Sundarbans, a figure much lower than the previous one. According to the tiger census conducted by the government in 2004, the Bangladesh part of the Sundarbans was a home to 440 tigers.
Locals said, there are a number of poachers’ gangs in nearby villages of the Sundarbans and they are involved in killing tigers and other wild animals of the mangrove forest.
Later, they smuggle the skins and parts of wildlife through syndicates as these have a high demand in the international market. They also smuggle tiger cubs after catching them from the Sundarbans. The Forest Department earlier prepared a list of 300 poachers who live in the nearby villages of the Sundarbans and it started ‘smart patrolling’ in the Sundarbans to hold them and protect the wildlife, official sources said.
Bangladesh Forest Department is going to install tracking devices in the Sundarbans in September next to catch poachers as wildlife hunting, particularly that of tigers, has taken a serious turn in the mangrove forest.
“Initially, the tracking devices will be installed in 15 boats of fishermen and five of the forest department. The devices will be applied using cellphone network,” divisional forest officer (Sundarbans East) M Saidul Islam told UNB.
Later, the devices will be set up across the forest, he said, adding that the tracking will be monitored by Forest Department’s Bagerhat and Chadpai Range offices. Saidul Islam said the tracking devices will give signals if poachers go to the Sundarbans to hunt animals, including tigers. Acting on any signal, the forest department staff along with members of law-enforcement agencies will rush to spot and catch the hunters.
The Forest Department goes on the vigorous conservation plan after the new tiger census 2015 has revealed that there are only 106 tigers
in the Bangladesh part of the Sundarbans, a figure much lower than the previous one. According to the tiger census conducted by the government in 2004, the Bangladesh part of the Sundarbans was a home to 440 tigers.
Locals said, there are a number of poachers’ gangs in nearby villages of the Sundarbans and they are involved in killing tigers and other wild animals of the mangrove forest.
Later, they smuggle the skins and parts of wildlife through syndicates as these have a high demand in the international market. They also smuggle tiger cubs after catching them from the Sundarbans. The Forest Department earlier prepared a list of 300 poachers who live in the nearby villages of the Sundarbans and it started ‘smart patrolling’ in the Sundarbans to hold them and protect the wildlife, official sources said.
