Royal Bengal Tiger trapped in Sundarbans snare
Bagerhat Correspondent :
The king of the forest, the Royal Bengal Tiger, has been caught in a snare set by deer poachers in the deep forests of the Sundarbans.
The incident occurred in the forest near the Sharkir Canal area of the Sundarbans, adjacent to Bayddhamari in Mongla Upazila.
The Forest Department will launch an operation with experts on Sunday morning to rescue the trapped tiger.
Dipan Chandra Das, Assistant Conservator of Forests (ACF) of the Chandpai Range under the Eastern Division of Sundarbans in Bagerhat district, said that poachers had been setting traps to hunt deer in the forest along the Sharkir Canal between Bayddhamari and Joymani areas of Mongla. News arrived after noon on Saturday that a tiger had been caught in one of those traps.
Upon receiving the information, forest department officials and staff rushed to the spot and confirmed the matter. The tiger was trapped about half a kilometre deep in the forest from the canal bank.
The Forest Department stated that, for the safety of both the tiger and the public, the entire area had already been cordoned off to prevent curious onlookers from approaching.
The Forest Department plans to fire blank shots in the area late on Saturday night, hoping the noise will scare the tiger and encourage it to free itself from the trap.
An experienced veterinary surgeon from the Forest Department is being brought from Dhaka to ensure the safe rescue of the tiger. The main rescue operation will begin once the vet arrives on Sunday morning.
The Forest Department said that, if necessary, a tranquiliser gun will be used to sedate the tiger.
The tranquiliser will keep the tiger sedated for approximately half an hour before it is released from the trap.
The Assistant Conservator of Forests also said that if the tiger is injured or unwell in any other way, it will be rescued and placed in an iron cage.
All preparations have been made to transfer it to the Forest Department’s rescue centre in Khulna or Dhaka for further treatment.
Meanwhile, as news of the trapped tiger spread, local residents began gathering at the forest edge from the evening.
However, to prevent any untoward incidents, members of the Forest Department and the wildlife conservation team are not allowing anyone to enter the area. Forest staff remain on high alert to protect the tiger.