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A team from Dehradun based Wildlife Institute of India (WII) will impart in Bangladesh to scientifically conduct tiger census in their part of the Sunderbans for the first time.
Of the total area of the Sunderbans, 2000 sq km is in India and 4,000 sq km is in Bangladesh. While the Indian side has 200 tigers, the one in Bangladesh is believed to have between 300 and 400 tigers.
The WII team comprises senior scientists Q Qureshi and Y.V. Jhala. “We have to teach and train them to use the latest technology meant to identify and count tigers in their part of the Sunderbans.
We are preparing the course for their training," Jhala, who is scheduled to visit Bangladesh, soon, told The Indian Express,
Like India, where the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) was engaged in conservation of the Royal Bengal Tigers, Bangladesh had adopted Tiger Action Plan (TAC).
Traditionally, the forest staff of both countries tracked the forest identified and copied the pug marks on porcelain to prepare the census. Recently this method was abandoned in India.
Instead, satellite radio collar (SRC) and camera trap (CT) were used to count the tigers. Unlike the pug mark method, which had errors due to the subjective mode of collection and interpretation of data, the SRC technology, linked with GPS and CT, captures pictures live, ensuring objective and accurate data.
Since the forest staff in Bangladesh lacked the technical expertise to implement this method, the forest department, WII and NTCA signed an MoU on May 3.
As per the MoU, under the supervision of NTCA, Qureshi and Jhala will hold a workshop with the Bangladesh forest department staff there during October and November. "During this workshop, we will have several sessions. Later they may come to WII campus here for further training, said Qureshi.
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