VIDEO

VIDEO

Tigers in the Sundarbans

Tigers in the Sundarbans

Increasing human fatalities from tiger (Panthera tigris) attacks lead villagers to try new tactics to outsmart the felines.

Grades

6 - 12

Subjects

Geography, Human Geography

Program
Big Cats Initiative

Bengal tigers (Panthera tigris tigris) are the most numerous of the six tiger subspecies, accounting for about half the world's population of wild tigers. Despite their status as an icon of India and Bangladesh, Bengal tigers are an endangered species. The largest population of Bengal tigers lives in Sundarbans National Park, in West Bengal, India. The national park covers about 1,330 square kilometers (328,680 acres) of the densely forested delta of the Ganges River.

As human populations increase, so does conflict between humans and Bengal tigers. Development and hunting have contributed to a reduction of the tiger's natural prey—buffalo, deer, wild pigs (Sus scrofa), and other large mammals of the Sundarbans. Thus, humans have become targets for the hungry predators.

Watch the short, two-minute video and review the comprehension and critical-thinking questions in our ‘Questions’ tab.

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Editors
National Geographic Society
Julie Brown, National Geographic Society
Expert Reviewer
Dr. Luke Dollar, Conservation Scientist
National Geographic Program
Big Cats Initiative
Producer
National Geographic Society
other
Last Updated

April 29, 2024

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