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Objectives: The Bengal tiger Panthera tigris tigris, is an emblematic animal for Bangladesh. Despite being the apex predator in the wild, their number is decreasing due to anthropogenic activities such as hunting, urbanization, expansion of agriculture and deforestation. By contrast, captive tigers are flourishing due to practical conservation efforts. Breeding within the small captive population can produce inbreeding depression and genetic bottlenecks, which may limit the success of conservation efforts. Despite past decades of research, a comprehensive database on genetic variation in the captive and wild Bengal tigers in Bangladesh still needs to be included. Therefore, this research aimed to investigate the White Bengal tiger genome to create a resource for future studies to understand variation underlying important functional traits. Data description: Blood samples from Chattogram Zoo were collected for three white Bengal tigers. Genomic DNA for all collected samples were extracted using a commercial DNA extraction kit. Whole genome sequencing was performed using a DNBseq platform. We generated 77 Gb of whole-genome sequencing (WGS) data for three white Bengal tigers (Average 11X coverage/sample). The data we generated will establish a paradigm for tiger research in Bangladesh by providing a genomic resource for future functional studies on the Bengal white tiger. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Considered a unique biodiversity hotspot of the world, the Sundarbans mangrove harbours a wide variety of wild and plant species. This popular tiger land is now under threat to tiger survival. In this study, I venture to assess the tiger status, population, trends, extent, threats, and conservation process in the Sundarbans. My study finds that there were nearly 693 Bengal tigers (Panthera tigris tigris) in the Sundarbans mangrove forest in 2004. Ten years later, the tiger population reached 182 individuals. However, a slight increase in the tiger number was noticed in 2018 when the tiger constituted 202 individuals. Due to data deficiency, TX2 goal of doubling the tiger population by 2022 was not considered. This study finds that there are numerous factors work behind the extinction of the tiger population in the Sundarbans, such as habitat loss, deforestation, land cover change, human interventions into the forests, poaching, hunting, illegal wildlife trade, climate change, and natural disasters, salinity, scarcity of prey species, lack of capability of the forest staff and personnel, poor and weak legal frameworks are prominent. Therefore, this paper endeavours to assess the efforts of Bangladesh and the Indian government to double the Bengal tiger population by 2022 and analyse the factors and threats to eliminate tiger numbers in the world's largest mangrove forest Sundarbans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research demonstrates that doubling the number of tigers as Bangladesh pledged at the 2010 'Tiger Summit' is impossible without restoring the Sundarbans' intact habitat and ecological balance. The research identifies the barriers to tiger conservation in Bangladesh's Sundarbans. Last, a number of conservation strategies are put forward, including adopting a cross-border conservation plan and preserving the habitat in its natural state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stocking specific-pathogen-free (SPF) shrimp postlarvae (PL) has been reported to have much potential to enhance production by notably reducing the infection-driven mortality. In terms of SPF PL production in Bangladesh, except white spot syndrome virus (WSSV), several potential viruses such as hypodermal and hematopoietic necrosis virus (IHHNV), monodon baculovirus (MBV), hepatopancreatic parvovirus (HPV), and yellow head virus (YHV) which may synergistically cause mortality are ignored. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the viral contamination in hatchery-brood-shrimps in Bangladesh as the broods horizontally and/or vertically transfer the viruses to their offspring. Five randomly selected representative hatcheries were investigated over 3 months (January to March) to know the status of viral contamination. Broods in all the hatcheries were found to be contaminated with WSSV, IHHNV, MBV, HPV, and YHV. The results showed that the prevalence of WSSV, MBV, HPV, and YHV did not significantly differ between hatcheries. The highest (72%) and the lowest (30%) prevalence of MBV and WSSV, respectively, were recorded in January. In February, the highest (81%) and the lowest (28%) prevalence were found in MBV and HPV, respectively, where the highest and the lowest prevalence were 88% and 40% for IHHNV and HPV, respectively, in March. The prevalence of IHHNV and MBV were not significantly different. The relative prevalence of WSSV, HPV, and YHV were significantly low compared with that of IHHNV and MBV. Notably, increasing water temperature from January (22 ± 0.71 °C) to March (27 ± 1 °C) increased the prevalence of all the viruses and subsequently the extremity of infection. The contamination in broods forwarding to the production of multiple-virus-contaminated PL is considered as an obstacle to higher production of shrimp at farm level in Bangladesh. Hence, the present study suggests focusing on the deleterious-virus-free shrimp broods in commercial shrimp hatcheries in Bangladesh. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Nypa fruticans Wurmb (Nypa), a true mangrove palm, is abundant in the Sundarbans reserved forest of Bangladesh. Leaves are the primary product obtained from the Nypa, which are often used as thatching materials and source of income for the forest-dependent communities in the Sundarbans Impact Zone (SIZ) of Bangladesh. Hence, this study aimed to assess the usefulness of the Nypa leaf collection as a livelihoods strategy in the SIZ of Bangladesh. A total of 90 Nypa leaf collectors from three coastal unions were interviewed by administering a semi-structured interview schedule. Effects of social factors [age, education level and household (HH) members involved in income generation] and economic factors (primary, secondary and tertiary occupation) on the HH total income of the Nypa leaf collectors were analyzed using linear regression and Pearson's correlation, respectively. Moreover, the effect of physical factors on the HH total income was analyzed by ANOVA and linear regression. Results suggested that income from the Nypa leaf collection, though making only a quarter percent of HH total income, was constrained by underdeveloped infrastructure, inaccessibility to fair market price, limitations of financial capital and frequent attack of Royal Bengal tiger (Panthera tigris tigris). The study, therefore, suggests that Nypa leaf collection from the Sundarbans alone could not be a sustainable livelihoods strategy for the forest-dependent communities in the SIZ of Bangladesh. Diversified and advanced husbandry activities, which have the potential to further reduce dependency on forest resources, would strengthen the livelihoods strategy and ultimately conserve the resources of the Sundarbans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The present study was carried out to assess the antibiotic resistance and to identify the resistance genes in Escherichia coli from captive Bengal tigers at two Safari parks in Bangladesh. Materials and Methods: A number of 24 environmental fecal swab samples of Bengal tigers were collected from two different Safari parks in Bangladesh. For the isolation of E. coli, samples were submitted to a number of bacteriological screening and biochemical tests. The antibiotic susceptibility of E. coli isolates was determined by disk diffusion method. Results: Results demonstrated that 18 environmental fecal samples were positive to E. coli in bacteriological screening and biochemical test. The overall prevalence of E. coli in Bengal tiger was 75% (n = 18/24). The antibiogram study unveiled that all the isolates were resistant to ampicillin. Sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim, nalidixic acid, and tetracycline were 89% (n = 16/18) resistant. On the contrary, 100% (n = 18/18) of the isolates were sensitive to colistin sulfate. blaTEM was detected in 78% (n = 14/18) ampicillin-resistant isolates, whereas sul2 was found in 31% (n = 5/16) of the sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim-resistant isolates. Conclusion: This study, first time in Bangladesh, highlights a significant proportion of environmental fecal samples from captive Bengal tigers at Safari parks harboring antibiotic resistant E. coli. Transmission of resistant E. coli from Bengal tigers to humans and the environment could pose a public health risk at Safari parks in Bangladesh. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tigers Panthera tigris face a wide and complex array of threats. Given limited time and resources it is essential to direct conservation actions based on the relative importance of each threat. The Sundarbans Reserve Forest is the last stronghold of tigers in Bangladesh and supports one of the largest populations of tigers in the world. As in other tiger landscapes, the threats faced by the tigers have yet to be assessed. This study follows an approach developed by The Nature Conservancy to identify and prioritize threats and set a time-frame for their reduction. We identified a total of 23 threats; four were linked to tigers, two to prey and 17 to habitat. Of the identified threats, the highest ranked included poaching of tigers, poaching of prey, sea-level rise, upstream water extraction/divergence, wood collection, fishing, and harvesting of other aquatic resources. All threats were then scheduled for reduction, based on the rank and current information base for each threat and the likely time-frame for implementing potential solutions. This study demonstrates how the application of a prioritization framework can greatly improve the focus and likelihood of success of any species- or ecosystem-based conservation programme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

People's perceptions of the risk posed by wild animals to human lives and/or livelihoods can influence the rate at which people intentionally kill these species. Consequently, human-wildlife conflict (HWC) management strategies may benefit from the inclusion of actions which reduce risk perceptions. This study uses Participatory Risk Mapping (PRM) and semi-structured interviews to explore local perceptions and the wider socio-economic context of human-tiger conflict (HTC) in the Bangladesh Sundarbans area. Of the 24 locally-relevant problems identified by the PRM process, tigers were the only problem to be cited by >50 % of respondents. The 'tiger problem' was also perceived by villagers to be of relatively high severity. Negative perceptions of tigers in the Sundarbans communities are exacerbated by other locally-experienced poverty-related problems, as well cyclones, floods and soil erosion. Interactions between the problems experienced by villagers, including HTC, result in a complex 'risk web' which detrimentally affects lives and livelihoods and ultimately perpetuates poverty levels in the Sundarbans communities. This research demonstrates that PRM and in-depth, qualitative research can enhance understanding of the perceived magnitude and wider socio-economic context of risks from wildlife and aid the identification of risk perception management actions which may help to reduce the number of animals killed by people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the main threats to wild tigers Panthera tigris is poaching of natural prey, yet information is lacking about this threat for most of the tiger's range. For tiger conservation in the Sundarbans Reserved Forest of Bangladesh, information is needed to assess the impact of prey poaching and the effectiveness of conservation actions to reduce this threat. This study used an interview survey of people living close to the Sundarbans to estimate the scale of prey poaching, investigate factors driving prey poaching and capture information on the nature of prey consumption. Half of the households reported consuming deer meat, with mean consumption of 1.13 kg per household per year; equivalent to 11 195 deer killed. Deer meat was generally consumed for its good taste, with households closer to the forest boundary and with higher-income levels with relatively higher levels of consumption. Although cost of deer meat was higher than other available meat, 29% of households obtained deer meat for free. Deer meat tended to be obtained from personal contacts, and consumed in private. Most respondents (91.5%) knew deer consumption was illegal, but 69.4% viewed the law as ineffective. The study findings will be used to design focused regulation and awareness activities to reduce prey consumption in the area. The approach used to evaluate prey poaching through investigation of prey consumption follows studies of wild meat consumption in Africa, and can potentially be applied to all tiger landscapes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Sundarban of India and Bangladesh is the only mangrove reserve forest in the world inhabited by the tiger (Panthera tigris). Tigers in the Sundarban mangrove are widely known for frequently straying into the surrounding reclaimed areas. Data collected from household village survey and documents of the Forest Department show that tiger straying incidents happen throughout the year, but most of them occurred during 3 months (Dec-Feb) of the winter season (42%) followed by 3 months (July-Sept) of the monsoon season (31%). 84.22% of cases have been reported from 21 villages of five affected blocks of Sundarban. In most cases, tigers resorted to cattle lifting or poultry feeding. Only in 8.9% of the cases were human beings attacked or killed. Majority of the straying tigers (68.46%) were male. In most cases (78.9%) strayed tigers were aged and 22% of these were partly injured. 96.05% straying occurs during night. This study also aims at exploring the causes of frequent straying, livestock and human casualties as a result of conflict and retaliation killing of tigers. Straying frequency is correlated negatively with the width of the creeks or rivers in the village side and no relationship is identified with the area of the forest block as well as natural prey abundance. Overall, improved nylon fencing, increased patroling, establishment of the Forest Protection Committee (FPC) and the Eco Development Committee (EDC) are not associated with reduction of straying frequency as well as livestock losses to tiger straying. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Basic information required to conserve wild tigers Panthera tigris is lacking for the Bangladesh Sundarbans. The objectives of this study were therefore to estimate tiger home range size and obtain information on movement. Two adult female tigers were captured in the south-east of the Sundarbans and fitted with global positioning system collars. Mean home range sizes for the two tigers estimated with 95% minimum convex polygon and fixed kernel methods were 12.3 and 14.2 km2, respectively. A mean female home range size of 14.2 km2 would indicate a density for the south-east Sundarbans of seven adult females per 100 km2. The maximum distance moved by a tiger in 1 day was 11.3 km. Although preliminary these home range estimates indicate that the Sundarbans of Bangladesh has good quality tiger habitat relative to other tiger landscapes, highlighting the value of this mangrove ecosystem for the survival of this Endangered species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human-carnivore conflict is manifested in the death of humans, livestock, and carnivores. The resulting negative local attitudes and retribution killings imperil the future of many endangered carnivores. We tailored existing management tools to create a framework to facilitate the selection of actions to alleviate human-carnivore conflict and applied the framework to the human-tiger conflict in the Bangladesh Sundarbans. We identified potential actions that consider previous management efforts, local knowledge, cost-effectiveness, fieldwork experience of authors and project staff, previous research on tiger ecology by the authors, and recommendations from human-carnivore conflict studies in other countries. Our framework includes creation of a profile to improve understanding of the nature of the conflict and its underlying causality. Identified actions include deterrents, education, direct tiger management, and response teams. We ranked actions by their potential to reduce conflict and the monetary cost of their implementation. We ranked tiger-response teams and monitoring problem tigers as the two best actions because both had relatively high impact and cost-effectiveness. We believe this framework could be used under a wide range of human-wildlife conflict situations because it provides a structured approach to selection of mitigating actions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Sundarbans mangrove ecosystem, shared by India and Bangladesh, is recognized as a global priority for biodiversity conservation. Sea level rise, due to climate change, threatens the long term persistence of the Sundarbans forests and its biodiversity. Among the forests’ biota is the only tiger ( Panthera tigris) population in the world adapted for life in mangrove forests. Prior predictions on the impacts of sea level rise on the Sundarbans have been hampered by coarse elevation data in this low-lying region, where every centimeter counts. Using high resolution elevation data, we estimate that with a 28 cm rise above 2000 sea levels, remaining tiger habitat in Bangladesh’s Sundarbans would decline by 96% and the number of breeding individuals would be reduced to less than 20. Assuming current sea level rise predictions and local conditions do not change, a 28 cm sea level rise is likely to occur in the next 50–90 years. If actions to both limit green house gas emissions and increase resilience of the Sundarbans are not initiated soon, the tigers of the Sundarbans may join the Arctic’s polar bears ( Ursus maritimus) as early victims of climate change-induced habitat loss. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Attempts were taken to reduce tiger-human conflict in and around the Sundarbans, Bangladesh, from August 2005 to January 2007 using domestic dogs. Keeping one tethered dog with each group of people working in the mangrove forest was found to be effective in reducing the risk of being attacked by tigers Panthera tigris. The dogs warned people of the presence of tiger. The responses of 40 dogs were recorded and verified and it was found that the dogs could detect the presence of any nearby sizeable wild animal with a success rate of 92% but they could not always distinguish tiger from wild boar Sus scrofa or spotted deer Axis axis . Success rate in distinguishing the tiger was 62%. The dogs were particularly useful for honey gatherers because when they smoke the honeycomb visibility becomes poor and they become more vulnerable to attack by tigers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Baseline data on distribution and abundance of tigers in the Sundarbans is required to identify problem areas and evaluate management strategies. This paper outlines a khal (creek) bank survey of track set frequency throughout the Bangladesh Sundarbans to aid formulation of a management-driven monitoring program. Three teams of two observers surveyed a total of 1 201km of waterways throughout the Sundarbans, recording 1 338 tiger track sets. These sets became unrecognizable as tiger sign after a mean 10 days (range 6–14). Proportion of detectable sign recorded was 0.91. Mean (±standard error) sample unit track frequency was 1.12±0.86 track sets/km of khal. The mean coefficient of variance in sample unit track rate, estimated by multiple counts of six sample units, was 0.21 (range 0.06–0.34). Track frequency generally increased from northeast to southwest. Four sample units (6%) had signs of reproduction, with a mean litter size of 1.75±0.5. Monte Carlo simulation suggests a monitoring program of one complete survey every two years will have power of 0.8 (α =0.2), to detect track frequency declines of ⩾19% and increases of ⩾17%. We recommend this monitoring scheme be implemented on the Indian side of the Sundarbans to provide a standard assessment of the tiger population and to form the basis for setting management objectives and evaluating transboundary conservation initiatives. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

We examined the habitat preferences of tigers Panthera tigris in four habitat types in the Sundarbans East Wildlife Sanctuary, Bangladesh. Transect sampling was used to count tiger signs. Mean densities of signs of feeding, resting, defaecation and interaction were significantly different between the four main habitat types (mangrove woodlands, grasslands, sea beaches and transitional areas), whereas movement, scratch-scent-urinal and other signs were not significantly different. This indicates that tigers have habitat preferences for at least some activities. Similar patterns were found in the densities of movement and feeding signs, as well as of resting and defaecation signs, across the four different habitat types. Tigers were found to use soft-barked trees for scratching more often than other types. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Sundarbans is a globally significant and unique mangrove eco-region. It stretches across the territories of India and Bangladesh facing the Bay of Bengal. The eco-region, apart from supporting the largest tiger population in the world is also home to over 4.5 million people, on the Indian side. The majority of the population is poor and their dependence on eco-resources is high. A large section is engaged in shrimp seed collection, which has emerged as a viable economic activity over the past two decades. However, the activity is ecologically demanding. The present paper examines the issues of sustainability and precariousness of the practice of shrimp seed collection, the collectors, as well as of the ecosystem. In light of the activity, sustaining the human population and the process of human development in the Sundarbans islands over a long term appear doubtful. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fostering local community tolerance for endangered carnivores, such as tigers (Panthera tigris), is a core component of many conservation strategies. Identification of antecedents of tolerance will facilitate the development of effective tolerance-building conservation action and secure local community support for, and involvement in, conservation initiatives. We use a stated preference approach for measuring tolerance, based on the 'Wildlife Stakeholder Acceptance Capacity' concept, to explore villagers' tolerance levels for tigers in the Bangladesh Sundarbans, an area where, at the time of the research, human-tiger conflict was severe. We apply structural equation modeling to test an a priori defined theoretical model of tolerance and identify the experiential and psychological basis of tolerance in this community. Our results indicate that beliefs about tigers and about the perceived current tiger population trend are predictors of tolerance for tigers. Positive beliefs about tigers and a belief that the tiger population is not currently increasing are both associated with greater stated tolerance for the species. Contrary to commonly-held notions, negative experiences with tigers do not directly affect tolerance levels; instead, their effect is mediated by villagers' beliefs about tigers and risk perceptions concerning human-tiger conflict incidents. These findings highlight a need to explore and understand the socio-psychological factors that encourage tolerance towards endangered species. Our research also demonstrates the applicability of this approach to tolerance research to a wide range of socio-economic and cultural contexts and reveals its capacity to enhance carnivore conservation efforts worldwide.

The article focuses on the dwindling population of the wild tiger. The Panthera tigris was first listed as endangered in 1975, and only about 3000 of them are now in the wild. It is posed that three of the nine established subspecies, including Bali (P. t. balica), Caspian (P. t. virgata), and Javan (P.t. sondaica), are now extinct. Relative to this, the South China tiger (P.t. amoyensis) has not been spotted in the wild for 20 years. India has reported that about 1500 Bengal tigers remained in their territory. Nepal and Bangladesh have reported that the population of Bengal tigers in their area is improving.

The article presents information related to a workshop Teachers for Tigers, in Sundarbans situated jointly in India and Bangladesh. The workshop was coordinated by the Wildlife Conservation Society, India's Zoo Outreach Organization, and the Wildlife Trust of Bangladesh. It is promoted by the Starr Foundation and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Rhino and Tiger Conservation Fund. The workshop is part of a two-year endeavor to support educators share the wonders of these majestic cats with the people who are living in their vicinity. The workshop focuses on the methods of determining tigers' population and location. Though controversial and subject to error, plaster casts of tracks are used by some scientists in an endeavor to recognize individual tigers and estimate population sizes. Amit Chavan from the Bombay Natural History Society and Gigi Joseph from India's Periyar Tiger Reserve, picked a footmark and fixed it off with sticks. When the plaster dries, it is lifted out in order to cast the pugmark which is dusted with sand. For many, this is the closest confrontation they will ever have with their country's national animal.

In an unusual cooperative step, India and Bangladesh have embarked on a joint census of the Royal Bengal tigers that inhabit the world's largest mangrove forest, Sundarban. The main census tool will be the collecting of pugmarks, plaster casts and paper tracings of tiger footprints in the mud that are supposed to reveal the age, weight and sex of animals. Many wildlife biologists claim that pugmarks are unreliable and should be replaced by other sampling methods, such as camera traps. Some 460 foresters and wildlife experts are participating in the weeklong census, funded by $120,000 from United Nations Development Programme.