Climate change could wipe out Bengal tigers in 50 years

MELBOURNE: Sundarbans- the iconic Bengal tiger‘s last coastal stronghold and the world’s biggest mangrove forest – could be destroyed by climate change and rising sea levels over the next 50 years, scientists say. Spanning more than 10,000 square kilometres, the Sundarbans region of Bangladesh and India is the biggest mangrove forest on Earth, and also the most critical area for the endangered Bengal tiger, researchers said.

The researchers used computer simulations to assess the future suitability of the low-lying Sundarbans region for tigers and their prey species, using mainstream estimates of climatic trends from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Their analyses included factors such as extreme weather events and sea-level rise. Beyond climate change, the Sundarbans are under growing pressure from industrial developments, new roads, and greater poaching.