By Md Aynal Haque

KHULNA, Jan 20, 2025 (BSS) - The number of deer are reportedly gradually increasing in the Sundarbans during the last around two decades making the tourists and others concerned happy.

The ever-highest number of two species of deer, Maya and spotted deer, are frequently seen along the banks of canals and rivers of the forest, the largest mangrove forest in the world.

According to the tourists and people living adjacent to the forest, the deer population has increased during the recent past and the number of spotted deer is more compared to the Maya.

Report of a survey conducted by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in December, 2023, said currently there are 1,36,604 deer, whereas the number was 83,000 in 2004 meaning that 53,604 deer have increased within the gap of 19 years.

Mihir Kumar Doe, Conservator of Forest (CF), told BSS that a change has been witnessed in biodiversity of the forest as people would see deer whenever they go to the forest while the scenario was absent previously.

Regular patrol by the law-enforcing agencies and people of the forest department are contributing a lot towards raising the number of deer, he added.

Shubhra Shachin, Chief Executive of Sundarbans and Upakul Suraksha Foundation, said, however, the deer-poaching couldn't be stopped as the poachers have become desperate during the last couple of months.

Demand for deer meat is gradually rising as its price is lower compared to the meat of cattle and goat.

He said poachers have become desperate as the demand for venison has increased due to its low price in the surrounding areas adjacent to the Sundarbans. The activities of these poachers especially increase during various festivals.     

Deer, the main attraction of the Sundarbans, is losing its existence while the ecosystem of the forest is being destroyed due to indiscriminate poaching of the wild animal.

Deer poaching in the Sunderbans has increased recently at an alarming rate as poachers have become desperate, bringing a new threat to this vegetarian animal.

Although deer in the Sunderbans have had relief from the attacks of tigers and pirates, these days they fall victim to traps and shooting by hunters.

Prof Anwarul Kadir, Executive Director of Sundarbans Academy, said poaching of wild animals is legally banned but the incident is happening as many circles are active.

On January 3, police arrested a youth identified as Iqbal Moral, 30, hailed from Kasimnagar village under Paikgachha Upazila, with 34 kilograms of venison from Kalna Bazar under Koira upazila of the district.

Six alleged traffickers, including two women, were arrested with 11 kilograms of deer meat after raiding a Khulna-bound microbus in the Bus stand area at Mongla on January 8.

The arrestees are Muhammad Rabin, Taizul Islam, Sohel Hossain and Saidul Islam hailed from Keraniganj in Dhaka and Kolpona Akter Nazu and Mosammat Mukta hailed from Kaliganj in Jhenaidah district.

Prof Kadir said: "A syndicate has long been involved in deer hunting, specially spotted deer. Actual number of deer hunting is several times more than that of the amount of seized venison and skin."

"Sometimes deer meat, skin, and head are seized in one or two raids, but the main poachers and smugglers remain out of reach. In most cases, meat carriers are caught. When they returned from jail a few days later and engaged in the same act due to weak laws," he said.

He added that deer are the main food of tigers in the forest. "All animals are needed to balance the ecosystem of the Sundarbans. If you do not have one, the system is broken."

Somaiman Gazi, a resident of Southbedkashi union of Koyra upazila, said 30 poaching syndicates are active in the upazila as many residents of the union are involved in many work related to the Sundarbans.

Koyra Upazila Nirbahi Officer Ruli Biswas said the criminal activities in Koyra centring the Sundarbans are a major concern for them. She urged the authorities concerned to strengthen surveillance to check deer poachers.

Quazi Nurul Karim, Divisional Forest Officer, Sundarban West Forest Division, Khulna, claimed that deer poaching has decreased to a great extent due to the patrolling of RAB, Coast Guard, BGB and forest officials.

Besides, it is difficult to control the criminal activities with the poor resources, he said.

Referring to the tyranny of deer poachers in Sundarbans during the recent times, CF Mihir Kumar said movement of deer increases when canals and rivers dried during the dry season. For this reason, the poachers became active causing some deer-killing incident scatteredly.

He, however, attributed that the number of deer-poaching incidents has been downsized at present compared to the previous time.

Mihir Kumar said many of the deer-poachers are being caught with meat as a result of stringent stand against them. Public in general are now being encouraged to provide information about the miscreants as the government has announced a reward of Taka 20,000 if he gives information inside the forest, while Taka 10,000 outside the forest.