The Sundarbans hosts the world’s largest mangrove forest and a rich ecosystem supporting several hundred animal species, including the endangered Bengal tigers. A recent report published by the United Nations warns us that that climate change and rising sea levels eventually may wipe out one of the world’s last and largest tiger strongholds within the next 50 years. Bengal Tigers are among the most endangered animals on earth.
The number of these beautiful felines is decreasing at a rapid pace. Beyond climate change, the Sundarbans are under growing pressure from industrial developments, new roads, and greater poaching. Thus tigers are faced with greater human encroachment on the one hand and a worsening climate and associated sea-level rises on the other. Taking this into consideration, time has come to prevent illegal activities and industrial pollution by ensuring proper management and maintenance of our natural resources through building an environment friendly green economy.
We must adopt the policy of
protecting bio-diversity of the
Sundarbans rather than allowing
it to be damaged in the
name of development
In this regard, establishments that are harmful to the Sundarbans should be shut down, and the people who are involved in harming the forest should be punished. Activities such as cutting woods, poaching and building establishments inside the critical area should not be allowed.
However, researchers emphasize that there is still hope. The more of the Sundarbans that can be conserved—via new protected areas and reducing illegal poaching—the more resilient it will be to future climatic extremes and rising sea levels. As the tigers are on the verge of extinction, we must devise and undertake priority projects to facilitate procreation of this endangered species.
Necessary steps should be taken to keep track on the progress of tiger conservation projects through regular pugmark surveys. The government should keep the tiger habitat out of harmful projects. We must adopt the policy of protecting bio-diversity of the Sundarbans rather than allowing it to be damaged in the name of development. There is no other place like the Sundarbans left on Earth. We have to look after this iconic ecosystem if we want Bengal tigers to have a chance of survival.
