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A Royal Bengal tiger was spotted roaming in front of a Bangladesh Forest Department office deep inside the Sundarbans on Friday, prompting excitement among forest officials who captured the rare sight on their mobile phones.
The tiger was seen around midday at the Andharmanik Ecotourism Centre under the Chandpai Range in Mongla, Bagerhat.
According to forest officials, the animal emerged from the bank of the Shyala River and walked to the open area in front of the forest office. It stood there for a while, scanning its surroundings before briefly looking back and then disappearing into the forest to the north.
The Andharmanik Ecotourism Centre is located on the south-western bank of the Shyala River. The site was developed in 2021 as part of the Forest Department’s initiative to expand ecotourism facilities in the Sundarbans. The project includes a watchtower, walking trails and other visitor amenities.
The sighting came just 10 days after the Forest Department released a rescued tigress into the forest south of the ecotourism centre. The tigress had been rescued in an injured condition from a snare in the Shorki Khal area under the Baidyamari Forest Camp on January 4 and was released back into the wild on July 13 after treatment and rehabilitation.
However, officials believe the tiger seen on Friday is unlikely to be the same animal.
Assistant Conservator of Forests (ACF) Dipon Chandra Das of the Chandpai Range said preliminary analysis of the tiger’s stripe patterns suggests it is a different tigress.
“We do not think this is the tigress that was released recently. Based on its stripe markings, it appears to be another tigress,” he said.
He added that the area where the rescued tigress was released has an adequate prey base, reducing the likelihood that it would venture out in search of food.
The Sundarbans, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the world’s largest mangrove forest, is home to one of the largest remaining populations of the endangered Royal Bengal tiger. Sightings of the elusive big cat near forest facilities remain relatively rare, drawing significant attention from both forest officials and wildlife enthusiasts.