Illegal deer poaching poses growing threat to Sundarbans’ ecosystem

The Sundarbans, a UNESCO World Heritage Site renowned for its rich biodiversity, is increasingly becoming a hotspot for illegal poaching, raising serious concerns about wildlife protection and forest security.

Poachers have spread illegal deer-hunting traps across large areas of the forest, endangering not only deer but also the Royal Bengal Tiger.

In a recent incident, a Royal Bengal Tiger was trapped in a deer snare in the Baidyamari forest patrol outpost area under the Chandpai Range of the Sundarbans East Forest Division. Upon receiving information, Forest Department officials rushed to the spot, tranquilized the tiger and successfully rescued it.

Forest officials said this is not an isolated case but a reflection of widespread illegal deer hunting in the Sundarbans. According to the Forest Department, 1,630 kilograms of deer meat were recovered from the forest in 2025 alone, indicating that the actual volume of poached meat is likely several times higher.

Local sources report that organised groups of professional hunters operate deep inside the forest. They enter the Sundarbans using boats and trawlers and monitor deer movements by building temporary platforms between kewra trees. Deer are commonly hunted in riverbanks and canal marshes using rope traps, poison bait and, in some cases, with illegal firearms. The meat is later processed in secret hideouts and smuggled to nearby areas.

A poacher, speaking on condition of anonymity, said deer meat sells for Tk400–500 per kilogram in areas adjacent to the Sundarbans and Tk600–800 per kilogram in district towns. Deer skin fetches even higher prices. The latest survey estimates the deer population in the Sundarbans at 136,604.

Law enforcement operations have continued, but with limited success. On 18 August, Ruhul Amin Sana of Koyra upazila was arrested with deer meat during a smuggling attempt. Earlier, forest patrol members recovered two slaughtered deer, a boat and deer traps during a raid in the Koyra Hadda Forest Patrol Out-Post area. Despite such operations, poaching is reportedly increasing.

The highest incidence of deer meat recovery has been reported in Mongla, Sharankhola, Koyra, Dakop and Paikgachha upazilas. From these areas, meat and skins are smuggled to Khulna, Bagerhat and Dhaka.
Local residents allege the existence of a powerful syndicate involving hunters and intermediary traders. Some claim that deer meat is supplied to influential individuals, including political leaders and officials, as a form of lobbying.

Saiful Islam, a resident of Koyra village no. 6, alleged that although the hunters are widely known, they are rarely arrested, encouraging others to join the trade.

Experts warned that continued deer poaching would have a direct impact on the Royal Bengal tiger, as deer are its primary prey. Unchecked hunting could destabilise the entire Sundarbans ecosystem.

Forest Department official Tariqul Islam said most traps are set for deer, but other animals, including tigers, wild boars and snakes, also get caught. “When we find trapped animals during operations, we rescue and release them,” he said.

Khulna region Conservator of Forests Imran Ahmed said the department is intensifying efforts to curb poaching. “The number of poachers has increased recently. We recover traps every month, and about four tonnes of traps have been seized over the past few years,” he said, adding that patrols are now often conducted on foot in long formations.

Advocate Md Babul Howlader, member secretary of Khulna Civil Society, said livelihoods in villages adjacent to the Sundarbans are closely linked to forest resources. “Many people engaged in forest-based work are directly or indirectly involved in deer hunting,” he said, stressing the need for both strict law enforcement and community awareness to protect the Sundarbans.