NEW MEMBERS IN THE SUNDERBANS

          With a spurt in cub sighting in the Sunderbans, officials say actually there could be more tigers in the mangroves than what the latest camera trap study revealed-103. The successive sighting of two cubs, in the forests of Pirkhali under Sajnekhali tourism zone and Arbesi under Basirhat range, have given a new boost to the animal’s critical habitat and conservation efforts in the single largest block of tidal mangrove forest in the world.

        “In the recently-concluded camera trap study, no tiger image was captured in the North 24 Parganas. Last week, a beat officer clicked the snap of a cub with its mother. A big male, which has possibly fathered the cub, was also sighted near the spot. We hope the three will be the newest additions to the figure of 103, the minimum number of tiger in the mangroves.” Said Soumitra Dasgupta- The Sunderbans Tiger Reserve field director. Though a final call could be taken only after comparing their stripe patterns with those of recorded images, he added.

         The good news does not ends with this, there are more good news for the wildlife and the the Royal Bengal Tiger lovers;

         Foresters have also photo-captured another cub, hardly 3-4 months old, with its mother in the forests of Pirkhali I during a routine patrol. “We were all euphoric at that time. The moment the tigress spotted us, she tried to take the cub away from our sight. But the cub was in no mood to hang up on the new-found adventure in its life. He kept staring at our lenses and we had enough scope to take their snaps. Later, the tigress shooed away the cub and again appeared from behind the bushes to have water.” Said a forester, who was present in that spot.

LAND VANISHES IN EAST SUNDARBANS

           The upper Bidya and Raimangal regions in the Sunderbans, key human and wildlife habitat in the eastern  parts of the mangroves, are under severe threat of inundation due to the sea-level rise.

           A recent study by the World Bank and the Institute of Environmental Studies and Wetland Management (IESWM) has suggested to de-populate parts of some islands along the fringe areas on this parts so that the existing embankments can be moved back to allow a wider tidal channel to develop. This will, in turn, lead to deposition of sediments which can raise the land faster than the sea level rise.

            The study has also alerted  if the sedimentation can’t keep pace with the sea level rise- believed to happening at 3 millimetres annually- the Sunderbans may see a huge loss of mangroves which will put the survival of the endangered Royal Bengal tiger at risk. A recent camera trap report has captured presence of at least 55 tigers on this part of the mangroves.

            Agreeing to the report WWF-INDIA’s Sunderbans chapter head Anurag Danda said there is a need to De-populate some islands, as once these erode the man groves will get new sediments which will help it flourish in the future.

            But for now, the fate of 3.5 million people living within 20 km of the mangroves’ northern and eastern boundaries and more than 50 tigers believed to be ruling the forests of its eastern region hang in the balance.

             However, the IESWM senior scientist Somenath Bhattacharyya is of firm opinion that with proper modelling a d consequent management, it is possible to save the Sunderbans even with 1 metre sea level rise.

              The West Bengal Govt. has to handle this matter very sincerely as this is very important issue of the ecosystem. It’s already proved that the Sunderbans is the only habitat where the tigers have maintained their own regions. Why this endangered species do not have the attention of the WB Govt. is a very interesting question. May be they have no voting power, that is why they are neglected so far.

WHITE TIGER MYSTERY SOLVED BY SCIENTISTS

           The milky coats of the white Bengal tigers are caused by a single change in a know pigment gene, a new study has found. for long time the cause of this coats of the white tigers are mystery. now, scientists have discovered that their spectacular white coats are produced by a single change in a known pigment gene. " The white tiger represents part of the natural genetic diversity of the tiger that is worth conserving." said Shu-Jin Luo of the China's Peking University.