Story at a glance
- A poacher suspected of killing at least 70 Bengal tigers was reportedly apprehended by authorities after evading capture for decades.
- Habib Talukder, a 50-year-old man known as Tiger Habib, was taken into custody in Bangladesh on Saturday.
- Local police chief Saidur Rahman said the infamous poacher was caught after a “tip-off.”
A poacher suspected of killing at least 70 Bengal tigers was reportedly apprehended by authorities after evading capture for decades.
Habib Talukder, a 50-year-old man known as Tiger Habib, was taken into custody in Bangladesh on Saturday, Dhaka Tribune reported. Talukder was caught in a border village between Bangladesh and India in the Sundarbans, which were his alleged hunting grounds.
“He secretly entered the Sundarbans and hunted wild animals despite being banned from entering the forest long ago,” local Officer Md Abdul Mannan told the Dhaka Tribune. “He has been carrying out these criminal activities even though there are multiple cases against him… some powerful gangs are involved in this.”
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Local police chief Saidur Rahman said the infamous poacher was caught after a “tip-off,” and that Talukder’s evasive tactics were successful because he lived next to the forest and would leave the scene during raids, according to The Guardian.
“We equally respect him and are scared of him,” said Abdus Salam, a local honey hunter, according to The Guardian. “He’s a dangerous man who could fight alone with Mama [tiger] inside the forest.”
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The Guardian reported that the Bengal tiger population fell by more than 300 between 2004 and 2015. In 2019 the population reportedly climbed to 114. Bones, pelts and flesh of the animals are reportedly sold on the black market.
Mainuddin Khan, a forest conservation officer, said the Tiger Habib’s arrest was a relief, according to the Guardian.
“He was a big headache for us. He posed a great threat to the forest’s biodiversity,” Khan said.
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