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Forest officials in Bangladesh's Sundarbans East Forest Division are reporting a positive trend in wildlife populations, with a Bengal Tiger recently spotted crossing the Kachikhali canal and another sighted in the Andharmanik area. These sightings follow a year of increasingly frequent encounters with both tigers and deer.

Dr. Rezaul Karim Chowdhury, the divisional forest officer (DFO) for the Sundarbans East Forest Division, attributes the rise in sightings to intensified anti-poaching measures. "Our teams have worked tirelessly, especially by conducting continuous foot patrols and removing deer poaching traps. As a result, many believe the populations of both deer and tigers are increasing in the forest," he stated.

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Our teams have worked tirelessly, especially by conducting continuous foot patrols and removing deer poaching traps. As a result, many believe the populations of both deer and tigers are increasing in the forest.

The latest tiger census indicates that the Sundarbans East Forest Division is currently home to 80 Bengal Tigers. The DFO expressed optimism that this number could soon approach 100 if current protection levels are maintained. "If we can maintain this standard of effective patrolling throughout the Sundarbans, I believe the next tiger survey will record at least a 20 percent increase in the tiger population compared with the previous estimate," he said.

Continuous anti-poaching patrols and the removal of traps are seen as crucial to this conservation success. The focus on protecting the deer population, a primary food source for tigers, is also believed to be contributing to the overall health and growth of the tiger population within the Sundarbans, a UNESCO World Heritage Site known for its unique mangrove ecosystem.

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If we can maintain this standard of effective patrolling throughout the Sundarbans, I believe the next tiger survey will record at least a 20 percent increase in the tiger population compared with the previous estimate.