Royal Bengal Tigers of Sundarban – Population, Monitoring & Conservation (2022-23 Report)

The Sundarban Tiger Reserve (STR), India's pioneering Project Tiger landscape since 1973, continues to be a global beacon for tiger conservation. The recently released Annual Report 2022-23 reveals fascinating insights about the Royal Bengal Tigers inhabiting this unique mangrove ecosystem. As the only mangrove forest in the world harboring a significant tiger population, Sundarban holds a special place in wildlife conservation history.

Tiger Population in Sundarban: The Latest Numbers

According to the All India Tiger Estimation (AITE) 2021-22, conducted by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), the Sundarban landscape is home to a minimum of 100 tigers. However, the Phase IV Tiger Monitoring conducted during 2022-23 has recorded even more promising data.

Phase IV Tiger Monitoring Results 2022-23

The intensive camera trapping exercise carried out between December 2022 and January 2023 revealed:

·         Camera Trapping Effort: 19,985 trap nights (cameras deployed for 35 days across multiple locations)

·         Camera Stations: 569 pairs of cameras installed across 4 territorial ranges

·         Tiger Photographs: 1,389 images of tigers captured

·         Estimated Population: Approximately 108 tigers detected through ocular estimation during Phase IV monitoring

·         Cub Presence: Multiple tiger cubs photographed, confirming active breeding populations

Note: Cubs are not counted in the official NTCA declaration, which explains the difference between the minimum estimate of 100 and the higher camera trap sightings.

How Tiger Monitoring Works in Sundarban

The unique geography of Sundarban presents extraordinary challenges for wildlife monitoring. Unlike typical forest landscapes, Sundarban is a maze of estuaries, river channels, and creeks accessible only by boat.

Methodology Followed in 2022-23

1.     Grid Division: The entire 2,584.89 sq. km. tiger reserve was divided into 2 sq. km. grid cells as per Wildlife Institute of India protocol

2.    Team Formation: Four ranges participated – Basirhat, Sajnekhali WLS, National Park East, and National Park West, with 2-3 teams per range

3.    Camera Installation: Cameras were installed between 3rd and 9th December 2022 at 40-50 cm height, capturing both flanks of animals

4.    Technical Equipment Used:

o    GPS Machines (etrex 20X, 30X)

o    Cuddyback digital trap cameras

o    Cuddyback Professional cameras

o    Bharti telecom digital cameras

o    32 GB SD cards for photo and video capture

5.    Olfactory Lure: A special scent lure was applied to maximize tiger captures and recaptures

6.    Data Retrieval: Cameras were collected between 6th and 12th January 2023

Range-wise Camera Trap Data

Tiger Sightings Throughout the Year

The report also documents monthly tiger sightings based on Radio Telephone (RT) reporting by frontline staff:

·         April 2022: 62 adult sightings

·         May 2022: 100 adult sightings

·         June 2022: 70 adult sightings

·         July 2022: 90 adult sightings

·         August 2022: 170 adult sightings

·         September 2022: 110 adult + 8 cub sightings

·         October 2022: 222 adult + 10 cub sightings

·         November 2022: 130 adult + 8 cub sightings

·         December 2022: 120 adult + 6 cub sightings

·         January 2023: 162 adult + 2 cub sightings

·         February 2023: 90 adult + 6 cub sightings

·         March 2023: 260 adult + 3 cub sightings

Total for 2022-23: 1,580 adult tiger sightings and 43 cub sightings

Why Sundarban Tigers Are Special

Sundarban tigers have evolved unique adaptations to survive in the challenging mangrove environment:

1.     Swimming Ability: These tigers are excellent swimmers, often crossing wide rivers

2.    Saline Tolerance: They have adapted to drinking saline water

3.    Specialized Diet: Unlike inland tigers that prey on deer and wild boar, Sundarban tigers also consume fish, crabs, and other aquatic life

4.    Mangrove Habitat: They are the only tiger population living in mangrove forests worldwide (along with Bangladesh Sundarban)

Conservation Significance

The Sundarban Tiger Reserve holds several distinctions:

·         One of the first nine Tiger Reserves declared under Project Tiger in 1973

·         The National Park area is a UNESCO World Heritage Site (declared 1987)

·         Part of the Sundarban Biosphere Reserve (declared 1989)

·         Classified as a Tiger Conservation Landscape of global priority

·         Harbors 60% of India's total mangrove forest area

·         Contains 90% of Indian mangrove species

Challenges in Tiger Conservation

Despite the encouraging numbers, tiger conservation in Sundarban faces unique challenges:

·         Salinity Regime: The central mangrove patch (where STR falls) has very high salinity, affecting prey base distribution

·         Cyclones and Storm Surges: Mangroves act as natural shelter belts but face increasing climate change threats

·         Human-Tiger Conflict: Nylon net fencing along 108 km of forest boundary helps prevent tiger straying

·         Limited Prey Base: Translocation of spotted deer from other sanctuaries helps augment prey population

Prey Base Augmentation

In 2022-23, Sundarban Tiger Reserve received 100 spotted deer (66 females, 34 males) from Bibhutibhushan Wildlife Sanctuary, Bongaon, under 24 Parganas (North) Division. These deer are currently housed at Dobanki Camp in Sajnekhali Wildlife Sanctuary Range. Current status: 53 females, 32 males, 3 newborns, and 15 deceased.

Conclusion

The 2022-23 Annual Report confirms that Sundarban Tiger Reserve continues to support a viable and breeding tiger population. With approximately 108 tigers detected through camera trapping and clear evidence of cub presence, the future of Royal Bengal Tigers in this unique mangrove ecosystem appears promising. However, continued conservation efforts, habitat protection, and scientific monitoring remain essential for sustaining this globally significant tiger population.