Combined effects of climate change and sea-level rise on Bengal tiger habitat in the Sundarbans

This study advanced earlier sea-level work by combining climate-change projections with sea-level rise to model future Bengal tiger habitat in the Bangladesh Sundarbans. Using species distribution modeling driven by multiple climate scenarios and inundation estimates, the authors projected dramatic habitat loss, with suitable tiger habitat potentially vanishing in parts of the Sundarbans within decades under higher-emissions pathways. The analysis integrated salinity, vegetation, and storm-surge considerations beyond simple flooding. It is widely cited for sharpening the outlook for one of the most climate-exposed tiger populations on Earth, underscoring that a coastal mangrove population, hemmed between rising seas and dense human settlement, faces compounding climate threats with few escape routes.