Bangladesh tiger population remains dangerously low, state minister says

Bangladesh has 189 tigers in the Sundarbans and zoos, a population that is too small to secure the species’ future, state minister for fisheries and livestock Sultan Salauddin Tuku said Wednesday.

Speaking after a Global Tiger Day rally at Bangladesh National Zoo, Tuku said 124 tigers live in the Sundarbans, the country’s only natural tiger habitat. About 15 are housed at the national zoo, while roughly 50 are kept in other zoos.

“Tigers are one of the most important wildlife species in the world and an indispensable part of biodiversity,” he said.

Tuku said the global tiger population has fallen from about 100,000 a century ago to roughly 5,000. He warned that without stronger conservation efforts and greater public awareness, tigers could face a deeper crisis.

He said tiger censuses are conducted transparently by the Forest Department.