SUNDARBANS THROUGH THE DECADES

As Witnessed By Anil Mistry, The Swamp Tiger Rescuer

- Dr Oishimaya Sen Nag

It is where your primeval fears come to life. It is an unforgiving landscape where you live with the forces of nature in full swing all around you. Here, the land is ruled by the lord of the forest - the tiger while giant salt-water crocodiles reign the waters. It is the Sundarbans, the world’s largest mangrove forest cover, spread across parts of India and Bangladesh, and the only one of its kind with a tiger population. In this article, we get to know the Sundarbans in West Bengal, India, from a man who knows the forest and its tigers like no other - poacher turned conservationist Anil Mistry, currently the Principal Field Officer of the Wildlife Protection Society of India (WPSI).

“Several decades ago, when I was in class six, a tiger entered our village. A massive effort was launched to catch the tiger and return it to the forest. However, all efforts failed and after seven days, the tiger had to be shot. Upon hearing the news of the tiger, my friends and I ran to the spot to touch its body. Being small at that time, we managed to squeeze in through the massive crowd that had gathered to see the dead tiger. I could also run my fingers through the tiger’s fur. I was always curious about whether it was soft or hard - I found it to be so smooth! That was the first time I touched a tiger. Today, thanks to the successful conservation efforts in the Sundarbans, tigers no longer have to die. I have myself helped rescue and rehabilitate over 80 tigers here,” said Mistry.

Mistry, a resident of a village on Bali island in the Sundarbans region of West Bengal, was born and raised in this unique landscape. He recollects some memories from his childhood days,