IUCN / SSC Cat Specialist Group - Digital Cat Library |
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| Reza, A.H.M.A. | |
| Sunderbans: The island of no return | |
| 1999 Star Magazine (September 1999): 24-25 | |
Over the past 27 years (1956-83) more than 535 people (average 19.8 per year) have been killed by man-eating tigers in the swampy Sundarbans, which is the largest chunk of productive mangrove forest in the world. The man-killing ratio increased during 1984-93 to 301 people (34.4 people/year). No one lives in the Sundarbans, but every year some 45000 people obtain permits to enter the dense mangrove to fish, but timber and firewood, to chop the leaves of the nipa palm or to collect honey. Every year on an average, 24 of tehm are taken by the tiger, but the unofficial figure is as high as 100. The tiger population is estimated to be about 200 animals. By no means all of them are man-eaters. Man-eating is not affected by absence of prey as there is plenty of food. Tigers do not enter villages but kill people in the forest. |
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