Coordinated anti-poaching drives, tighter surveillance and reduced poison fishing have increased sightings of tigers, deer and birds across the Sundarbans, forest officials say, as illegal wildlife hunting and venison supplies decline.
The Sundarbans has seen a marked rise in the presence of tigers, deer and birds over the past year after coordinated forest department operations curbed poaching and halted fishing with poison, according to officials, local resource collectors and tourists.
Officials from the East Sundarbans Forest Division said extensive drives between May 2025 and April 2026 led to the recovery of about 114,553 feet of deer-hunting traps. They also removed 813 snare traps and 2,294 foot traps during the period.
According to forest department data, thousands of deer, wild boars, monkeys and tigers would have been at risk of being hunted had the traps not been removed. Seventy people were detained over allegations of setting traps and sent to court. The department said continued crackdowns had reduced deer hunting and also cut supplies of venison in illegal markets.
Forest department figures show the amount of venison recovered in the eastern Sundarbans fell to 250 kilograms this year from 750 kilograms a year earlier. At the same time, foot patrols, modern surveillance and drone monitoring were increased in the eastern part of the forest.
Over the past year, authorities carried out 474 drives in the Sundarbans, arresting 377 people in 241 cases. Another 396 people were charged under forest laws. During the operations, officials seized 448 boats and trawlers, 8,381 illegal crab-catching devices, 300 feet of net, 724 kilograms of fish caught using poison, 1,066 kilograms of crab and 250 kilograms of venison.
Local residents said deer meat and fish caught with poison are no longer as easy to obtain as before. With supplies shrinking, the price of venison has also risen sharply. They said it used to sell for 500 taka per kilogram but has now climbed to about 1,500 taka.
Fisherman Asad Munshi and Barek Hawladar from the Sharankhola area, along with other local fishers and honey collectors, said they had been travelling to the Sundarbans for around 14 to 15 years. They said tiger footprints are now often seen while fishing or collecting honey, and tiger calls can also sometimes be heard. Compared with the past, they said they now see more deer, wild boars, crocodiles and even tigers swimming across rivers.
They also said the number of birds in river shoals, canals and forest areas has increased. Species now seen more frequently include brown-winged kingfishers, black-capped kingfishers, ruddy kingfishers, scarlet-backed flowerpeckers, adjutants, Brahminy kites, white-bellied sea eagles and black-headed orioles.
Experts said the deer is the Sundarbans’ main herbivore and the principal prey of the Royal Bengal Tiger. As a result, an increase in deer numbers would naturally support a rise in tiger presence. They added that a drop in wildlife hunting and tighter control over fishing with poison had created a more favourable environment for animals across the forest.
The forest department said illegal fishing and crab collection in sanctuaries including Kotka, Kochikhali, Kokilmoni and Tiar Char had fallen to almost zero. Over the past year, 300 fishers were sent to jail on allegations of fishing with poison and entering the forest illegally. Authorities also stepped up the removal of gill nets in dolphin sanctuaries, efforts to build plastic-free tourist spots and drone surveillance in fire-prone areas.
The department also said awareness campaigns had changed the behaviour of people living near the forest. Over the past year, local residents helped return three spotted deer, one tiger and 37 pythons to the forest instead of killing them after the animals strayed into nearby communities.
Those involved, however, said several organised pirate groups remain active inside the Sundarbans, raising concerns over the safety of fishers and honey collectors. They also pointed to the forest’s vast size, limited manpower and reduced navigability in rivers and canals, which they said makes it easier for criminals to enter.
Mohammad Rezaul Karim Chowdhury, divisional forest officer of the East Sundarbans Forest Division, said wildlife would thrive if the forest remained healthy. He said the participation of local people was crucial to protecting the forest and that safeguarding the tiger, which sits at the top of the food chain, would help protect the entire Sundarbans ecosystem.
According to forest department data, the Sundarbans was home to 125 tigers in the 2024 survey. Officials said they expect the number to rise further in the next survey if current conservation efforts continue.
Dr Mohammad Raihan Ali, director of a research organisation working on the Sundarbans and coastal ecosystems, said all parts of an ecosystem are interconnected and that it was therefore natural for the forest department’s work to have a positive effect.
State Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Dr Sheikh Faridul Islam said the ministry was ready to take every possible measure to protect the Sundarbans. He added that joint force operations against forest bandits were continuing and said protecting the country’s vital natural asset required support from all.
