Protect the Royal Bengal Tiger of Sundarban

The Royal Bengal Tiger, celebrated in folklore for so long as the ruler of our Sundarbans, has for long been facing a traditional existential threat in the form of poachers. All surveys done in recent times have pointed to the decreasing tiger population in our part of the Sundarbans. As if that was not enough, reports now suggest it is also facing a threat to its existence in the form of climate change, which it seems is not wont to letting anything pass in its effort to awaken humanity to the damage wreaked on the planet by man's excesses.
The Royal Bengal Tiger is one of the things we as Bangladeshis can be most proud of. Its regal stature in the animal kingdom is accepted by experts, enthusiasts and laymen alike. One of the most alarming surveys done in recent times on the state of the Tiger, in 2004, estimated that only 419 Royal Bengals remain in the wild. That itself is a worrying figure, but even more worrying is that many people estimated the real remaining population in the wild to be even lower. Often we hear of this celebrated animal being butchered to death by the village-dwellers of our south-western areas when the animals stray within the vicinity of these villagers. This is very disappointing, especially because experts believe these deaths could be avoided if only the villagers were better informed by the officials on the correct way to deal with these tigers when they stray too close to the villagers.
Climate change has now been pinpointed as a reason for the tigers straying more frequently, as a growing 'prey crisis' brought about by populations of traditional tiger prey (such as wild boar and deer) dwindling due to forest floors being inundated is forcing the Royal Bengal to leave its wild habitat in search of food. In some cases, the Tiger is also straying into the periphery of the forest or beyond during its search for new habitat, after a cyclone or storm surge might destroy its old habitat.
Whatever may be the reason, and make no mistake, action will have to be taken in this regard as well (perhaps introducing more deer, wild board to replace the affected populations is an option), the inaction of the forest department officials in this regard, especially in keeping the villagers informed and also making them feel protected is gravely regretted. We hope the government will accord the matter immediate attention, for the Royal Bengal Tiger is not only a matter of great pride for us, it is also vital to maintaining the ecological balance in the Sundarbans. And in the face of so many threats, time is very quickly running out for it.