Bangladesh doubles wildlife sanctuary to save its tigers

A female Bengal tiger: new hopes for conservation in the Sundarbans. -AFP filepic

DHAKA: Bangladesh has more than doubled the size of the wildlife sanctuary in the world’s largest mangrove forest to try to protect endangered Bengal tigers whose numbers have fallen sharply, officials said Tuesday.

More than half, or 52 percent, of the 6,017 square kilometre (2,325 square mile) Sundarbans -- one of the largest habitats of the tigers -- has been declared a sanctuary this week, said the government’s chief forest conservator Shafiul Alam.