Tourists in the Sundarbans experienced a rare and extraordinary sighting of a Royal Bengal Tiger up close as it swam across a canal on Tuesday, capturing the moment on camera.
Around 10:15am, their vessel, The Sail, was navigating through the Boro Kotka canal, which falls under the Sarankhola Range of the Sundarbans East Forest Division in Bangladesh.
At that very moment, a fully grown tiger was swimming across the canal before disappearing into the dense forest.
The sighting sparked excitement and exhilaration among the tourists and crew onboard, with many capturing the remarkable moment through photos and videos.
Md Nur Alam Sheikh, convener of the Mongla Citizens’ Forum and Pashur River waterkeeper, who was aboard the vessel, shared his experience with journalists.
He recounted: “Our tourist ship was en route from Kotka to Kochikhali when, at exactly 10:10am, we witnessed this magnificent tiger crossing the canal right in front of us.”
Expressing his excitement, he added: “I have been visiting the Sundarbans for 25 years, often multiple times a year. However, this is the first time I have had the privilege of witnessing a tiger in the wild at such close range. It was truly an exhilarating experience.”
Sharif Jamil, coordinator of Waterkeepers Bangladesh and also a passenger on the vessel, shared a video of the sighting on social media, describing it as a "rare experience of witnessing a majestic Royal Bengal Tiger."
He urged conservation efforts with the message: Save the Sundarbans, save Bengal’s tigers.
The Sundarbans, the world’s largest mangrove forest, is renowned for being the habitat of the majestic Royal Bengal Tiger.
Every year, numerous tourists visit this natural wonder, though sightings of tigers remain rare.
However, on certain occasions, visitors are fortunate enough to witness the awe-inspiring beauty of this elusive predator.
Just a month earlier, on January 19, tourists aboard the MV Alaska had another extraordinary sighting near the Betmor area of the Kotka Sanctuary.
Three tigers were spotted by the riverbank, where an unusual territorial battle unfolded—two tigers attacked another, forcing it into the river.
The dramatic event was captured in photos and videos, which later went viral on social media.
Prior to that, in February of last year, three tigers were observed for 20 hours near the Chandeshwar Forest Patrol Post under the Sarankhola Range.
Forest rangers managed to document the rare sighting, and the footage quickly spread across social media, drawing significant attention.
According to the Forest Department, the Bangladesh portion of the Sundarbans spans 6,017sq km, comprising 4,832sq km of forest land and 1,185sq km of wetlands.
The 2015 tiger census recorded 106 tigers, which increased to 114 in 2018.
The latest survey in 2024 reports a further rise, bringing the total count to 125.
Among the four forest ranges, Sarankhola has the highest tiger population.
Mihir Kumar Dey, divisional forest conservator (Khulna Division) of the Sundarbans, highlighted the positive impact of restricted human activity during the Covid-19 pandemic.
“During that period, the Sundarbans remained undisturbed and silent, allowing wildlife to roam freely. It is essential to let nature and its creatures thrive in their natural habitat,” he said.
He further emphasized: “The tiger population in the Sundarbans is steadily increasing. A comparative analysis of the last three tiger censuses confirms this trend, with each survey recording an increase of 8 to 11 tigers.”
