Conflict Tiger Resolution, Bangladesh

As the species most at risk of extinction (WWF, 2010), the Bengal tigers in the Sundarbans Forest Reserve, Bangladesh are a key population. However, interactions between humans and tigers have resulted in the unnecessary deaths of humans, tigers and livestock. The Sundarbans Tiger Project, a joint initiative of the Bangladesh Forest Department (BFD), Wildlife Trust of Bangladesh (WTB) and Zoological Society of London (ZSL), was set up to implement the Bangladesh Tiger Action Plan which addresses these issues.


In February 2011, a tiger that strayed into a village was saved from the hands of the villagers by being tranquilised and released back in to the forest; a first for Bangladesh. A team of BFD, WTB, and ZSL staff, together with a team of local villagers set up by WTB and ZSL, managed to anaesthetise the tigress at 1am and move her by boat to a location deep in the forest. They monitored her recovery in the boat and then released her back into her jungle home. Previously, this type of interaction would have resulted in the tiger being beaten to death by villagers.


Wildlife Vets International is proud to have played its part. In January 2010 WVI vet Dr John Lewis had been invited to train 30 BFD staff in capturing, immobilising and releasing wildlife, focussing on tigers. Hopefully, this rescue marks a new beginning in the way in which conflict tigers are managed in Bangladesh.

Further training for vets and BFD / WTB staff is required in many aspects of the veterinary management of tigers and other wildlife, and WVI has been asked to provide it. We can only do this with support.


Wildlife Vets International’s input will help to:

• Greatly improve the capacity of the Forest Department to deal with problem tigers;


• Reduce the numbers of tigers and people killed each year;


• Improve local attitudes towards tigers;


• Assist the Sundarbans Tiger Project with the long-term conservation of the tiger.

More information

For more information about the conservation of Bengal Tigers in the Sunderbans, and the training that Wildlife Vets International is providing, follow these links:

• Tiger saved from certain death
• Bangladesh Tigers- case study
• WVI visit report 2010
• Sundarbans Tiger Project
• WVI visit report 2010 summary
• Wildlife Trust of Bangladesh

Images

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1. Dr Lewis giving practical immobilisation dart preparation sessions	2. The Chandipur tiger had been beaten to death by the crowd
3. WVI vet John Lewis takes samples from the dead tiger	4. A subdued crowd watch the removal of the beaten tiger by boat

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