Surveys are conducted at regular intervals to determine the number of tigers in the Sundarbans. However, this is the first time that research on the diagnosis of tigers and animals considered as tiger food is starting. The researchers will collect samples from 65 research plots under the four ranges of Sundarban within two days.

The research is being done under the 'Sundarban Tiger Conservation Project'. The concerned researchers say that this is the first research in the history of Bangladesh on the diagnosis of an animal in the forest. As a result, information will be available whether animals like tiger, deer, monkey, pig are infected with any bacteria or virus. And if it is affected, then steps can be taken to avoid these diseases.

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Some researchers from different universities of the country are associated with this program. Sylhet Agricultural University Microbiology Department Professor Sultan Ahmed is the head of the research team. He said that all necessary preparations have been made.

The sample collection process will start in a day or two. As many as 250 samples will be collected from 65 research plots of Sundarbans for 15 days. Then each researcher will analyze the samples separately and prepare a report. The research report will be published after next one year.

Talking to the researchers, it is known that tiger excrement, fur, bones and various body samples of deer, monkey and pig will be collected as samples for research. Apart from this, blood samples will be collected from dogs and cats in the area near the forest.

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The researchers will try to find out whether the local animals are getting the same type of infection as the tiger, deer, monkey and pig. They will also research the genetic characteristics of tigers.
Earlier, under the Sundarbans Tiger Conservation Project, the tiger counting program in the forest started from January last year. The work is being done through camera trapping.

The work of camera trapping in Khulna and Satkhira ranges under the Western Forest Division was completed on April 30 of that year. According to the preliminary data of camera trapping, the number of tigers in the two ranges has increased more than before, say people involved in the enumeration. Especially in the Khulna range, the survey conducted in 2015 and 2018 did not find the existence of tigers.

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Compared to that, a significant number of tigers have been found in the Khulna range. They claim that in some places, the pictures of the baby with the big tiger have been caught on camera. From December that year, the work of camera trapping has started in the Chandpai and Sharankhola ranges of the Eastern Forest Division. The work is not finished yet. The forest department will publish the tiger survey data this year after analyzing the tiger data from four ranges.

Director of 'Sundarban Tiger Conservation Project' and Divisional Forest Officer of Sundarban West Forest Division, Abu Naser Mohsin Hossain told that tiger conservation project includes tigers and their food, diagnosis. That research work is being initiated. This is the first such study in Bangladesh. The research work will play an important role in the future breeding and survival of tigers.

This study will tell whether the tiger dying in the forest is due to some disease or due to some other reason.
According to the sources of the Forest Department, the area of ​​Bangladesh part of Sundarbans is 6 thousand 17 square kilometers. Out of this forest land is 4 thousand 832 and swamp land is 1 thousand 185 square kilometers.

According to 1997 data, 289 species of animals live in this forest land. Apart from this, 219 species of aquatic animals live. According to the 2015 tiger census, there were 106 tigers in the Sundarbans. And in the 2018 census, the number of tigers was 114.

End//voice7news.tv

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