Officials attribute the recovery to a sustained crackdown on poison fishing and deer poaching, the near-elimination of illegal fishing inside sanctuaries, and intensified patrols. However, they caution that renewed activity by forest gangs, limited manpower and the region’s complex geography remain major challenges to conservation.

Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Md Rezaul Karim Chowdhury of the Sundarbans East Forest Division said “unprecedented” wildlife crime-control operations were conducted between May 2025 and April 2026.

During the period, authorities recovered approximately 114,553 feet of lethal wire nooses used for deer hunting—equivalent to nearly 35 kilometres—along with 813 steel traps and 2,294 foot snares. Forest officials said thousands of animals, including deer, wild boar, monkeys and even tigers, could have been killed had the traps not been removed. Seventy suspected poachers were arrested and produced before court.

According to the department, sustained operations have reduced deer poaching and curtailed the supply of venison in illegal markets. Seized venison fell to 250 kg this year from 750 kg last year, while market prices reportedly rose from Tk 500 per kg to Tk 1,500 per kg due to scarcity.

Enforcement has been strengthened through foot patrols, smart surveillance and the use of drones across the eastern Sundarbans. Over the past year, 474 drives led to 241 cases and the arrest of 377 people; a further 396 were booked under forest laws. Authorities also seized 448 boats and trawlers, 8,381 illegal crab-catching devices, 300 feet of nets, 724 kg of poison-caught fish, 1,066 kg of crabs and 250 kg of venison.

Local fishers say illegal venison and poison-caught fish are no longer easily available. Fishers and honey collectors from forest-adjacent areas, including Asad Munshi and Barek Hawladar, said they now frequently see tiger pugmarks—and sometimes hear roars—while fishing or collecting honey. They also report increased sightings of deer and wild boar, more tiger movements across rivers, and a higher presence of crocodiles.

They added that birdlife has rebounded across riverbanks, sandbars and forest tracts, with more frequent sightings of kingfishers, bee-eaters, kites, eagles and parrots.

Experts note that deer are the primary herbivore in the Sundarbans and a key prey species for the Royal Bengal Tiger. As deer numbers and safe grazing areas expand, tiger presence is expected to rise naturally. Reduced hunting, tighter controls on poison fishing and fewer illegal intrusions into sanctuaries have also improved conditions for birds and other wildlife, they say.

The Forest Department claims illegal fishing and crab harvesting inside sanctuaries such as Katka, Kochikhali, Kokilmoni and Tiar Char have fallen to near zero over the past year. Around 300 fishers were jailed for illegal entry and poison fishing. Authorities have also removed gill nets from dolphin sanctuaries, promoted plastic-free tourism centres, and expanded drone surveillance in fire-prone areas including Dhangsagar, Kalomteji, Nangli, Amurbunia and Dasher Bharani.

Officials say awareness campaigns have begun to change behaviour among communities living near the forest. Over the past year, residents in Sharankhola returned three spotted deer, one tiger and 37 pythons to the forest with department assistance rather than killing them.

Nevertheless, sources warn that several organised gangs are currently active inside the Sundarbans, raising new security concerns for forest-dependent fishers and honey collectors. The forest’s vast size, limited staffing and the silting of rivers and canals connecting to settlements have made illegal entry easier.

“Healthy forests sustain healthy wildlife, and community involvement is the most critical factor in protecting the forest,” DFO Chowdhury said. “If we protect the tiger at the top of the food chain, the entire Sundarbans ecosystem will remain secure.”

A 2024 survey recorded 125 tigers in the Sundarbans. The Forest Department expects the figure could rise by up to a quarter in the next census if current conservation efforts continue.

Dr Mohammad Raihan Ali, director of the Institute for Integrated Studies on the Sundarbans and Coastal Ecosystems, said all elements of the ecosystem are interdependent. “The data from the eastern Sundarbans may reasonably indicate positive ecological change,” he said, adding that the Forest Department’s role as the primary management authority makes such impacts plausible.

State Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Sheikh Faridul Islam said the ministry was ready to take all necessary measures to protect the Sundarbans. “Joint forces operations against forest gangs are continuing,” he said. “Protecting this national asset requires cooperation from everyone.”