Local Correspondent; Dbarta24 — Despite intensified patrols by law enforcement and the Forest Department, poaching syndicates in the Sundarbans continue to decimate the forest’s deer population at an alarming rate.
Official records reveal that over the last three fiscal years, authorities across the Sundarbans East and West divisions seized 3,453 kilograms of venison and arrested 249 individuals involved in illegal poaching operations.
Environmentalists and wildlife experts warn that the relentless targeting of spotted deer (Axis axis) not only threatens the survival of the species but also severely jeopardizes the forest’s ecosystem, particularly the endangered Bengal tiger population, which relies on deer for nearly 80 percent of its diet.
Escalating Poaching Tactics and Shocking Seizure Records
According to data released by Divisional Forest Officers, poachers have deployed vast networks of specialized wire traps—known locally as mala, chitka, and gola traps—spanning hundreds of thousands of feet across the mangrove forest.
In the Sundarbans East Forest Division, Divisional Forest Officer Md. Rezaul Karim Chowdhury reported a dramatic surge in recovered traps, jumpstarting from 4,860 feet in FY 2023–24 to an extraordinary 120,883 feet in FY 2025–26.
Meanwhile, in the Sundarbans West Forest Division, Divisional Forest Officer A Z M Hasanur Rahman highlighted that the highest volume of venison seized occurred in FY 2024–25, reaching 931.7 kilograms alongside deer skins, heads, and carcasses.
Poachers often enter deep forest zones using legitimate or illicit permits intended for fishermen, honey collectors, or woodcutters.
Key hotspots heavily targeted due to an abundance of gewa and keora trees include Dacope, Koyra, Paikgachha, Shyamnagar, Mongla, Sharankhola, and several coastal points along the Poshur and Baleswar rivers.
Beyond deer mortality, these indiscriminate wire traps pose severe risks to non-target apex predators. On January 4 of this year, forest officials rescued an injured Bengal tiger trapped in a deer snare.
Similar trapping incidents led to a tiger losing its leg in 2012 and another dying from fatal injuries in 2014.
Lucrative Black Market and Alleged Collusion
Local investigations indicate that venison bought near the forest fringes for 600 to 700 BDT per kilogram is smuggled into urban centers and sold for anywhere between 1,000 and 2,000 BDT per kilogram. Middlemen and organized syndicates often secure advance orders from wealthy patrons and tourists.
“In the Sundarbans, the Bengal tiger’s primary prey is the spotted deer, accounting for nearly 80 percent of its diet,” explained Dr. M. A. Aziz, Professor of Zoology at Jahangirnagar University. “To save the tigers, we must first protect the spotted deer. Regrettably, a section of influential people cannot suppress their desire for venison, and many tourists seek it out when visiting the region.”
Local environmental leaders point out that despite frequent arrests, systemic loopholes and internal corruption hinder long-term progress.
“Spotted deer are the most gentle and iconic inhabitants of the Sundarbans, yet organized syndicates have targeted them for years,” said Advocate Babul Hawlader, Khulna Convener of the Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon (BAPA). “Allegations persist that rogue forest personnel are complicit. To stop this, authorities must intensify patrols near coastal settlements, create updated lists of repeat poachers, target the consumer demand, ensure strict bail conditions, and offer rewards to confidential informants.”
Deer Population Dynamics and Future Outlook
Interestingly, census data indicates a growing prey base overall. According to an International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) survey released in December 2023, the Sundarbans deer population reached 136,604—up by 53,604 from the 83,000 recorded in 2004.
However, conservationists emphasize that unchecked poaching in localized hotspots threatens to wipe out deer clusters in critical zones, disturbing predator-prey dynamics and pushing tigers into human-dominated landscapes.
Without immediate intelligence-led enforcement, severe prosecution of buyers, and community awareness programs, the ecological balance of the world’s largest contiguous mangrove forest remains under grave threat.