Research overview: Sundarbans tigers and sea-level rise

The mangrove forests of the Sundarbans, shared by India and Bangladesh, support a unique tiger population adapted to a tidal, saline, swimming-intensive environment. This overview surveys research on the threats facing these tigers, foremost the projected loss of low-lying mangrove habitat to sea-level rise and increasing salinity, alongside intense human-tiger conflict as people enter the forest for fishing and honey collection. Studies model how much habitat could disappear under climate scenarios and what that implies for population persistence. Researchers also examine the behavioral distinctiveness of Sundarbans tigers and the elevated rate of fatal encounters with people. The overview frames this population as a bellwether for climate-driven habitat loss in big cats, where conservation must address both rising seas and one of the most acute human-wildlife conflict situations anywhere.