Two US wildlife experts have started a study of the ecological and behavioural pattern of tigers in the Bangladesh part of Sundarban using radio sensors, official sources said. They will implant radio sensors in collars to be put on the tigers and study their movements, food habits, sex life, nature and living territories through computer microchips, said the conservator of the wild life circle of the forest department, Shamsur Rahman.
It is the first ever attempt to study their behaviour through satellite-based radio signalling in Bangladesh, he told New Age on Sunday.
‘Capturing tigers in Sundarban is very difficult because of the depth of the forest,’ Shamsur said.
The team of wildlife experts, headed by David Smith, a professor of the Minnesota University, along with a number of Bangladesh forest officials, has been trying to capture Royal Bengal tigers at Nilkamol area of Sundarban since February 28, but failed to capture any, he added.
Eight traps have been set up at the forest points, an official of the Khulna range said, adding that once a tiger is trapped it would be shot by tranquiliser gun to put the microchip around its neck with antenna.
The computer programme will help track the tigers’ movement and take pictures of their activities, he said.
Funded by the United States Fish and Wildlife Services, the project will initially run for three months. If needed, the duration of the project will be extended.
There are 411 tigers in the Bangladesh part of Sundarban, according to a study jointly conducted by India and Bangladesh few months back.
The Indian government took up a move to put on radio sensors to Sundarban tigers in 2003.