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Poacher Thought To Have Killed 70 Tigers Has Been Caught By Police

Poacher Thought To Have Killed 70 Tigers Has Been Caught By Police

Habib Talukder, who was dubbed ‘Tiger Habib’, had been on the run ‘for a long time’, according to police

Jess Hardiman

Jess Hardiman

A prolific poacher who is thought to have killed at least 70 endangered Bengal tigers has been arrested by police in Bangladesh, following a 20-year search.

Habib Talukder, who was dubbed 'Tiger Habib', had been on the run 'for a long time', according to police.

He operated secretly in the Sundarbans mangrove forest area, which straddles India and Bangladesh, and was listed as a most wanted fugitive by both police and the Forest Department.

Local police chief Saidur Rahman said Talukder, 50, lived next to the forest and would flee whenever officers raided the area.

He was finally apprehended following a tip-off, after three arrest warrants were issued for him.

Habib Talukder
Habib Talukder

According to the Dhaka Tribune, Sharankhola police arrested Talukder, 50, in the early hours of Saturday in Madhya Sonatola village, which is adjacent to the forest.

Sharankhola Station Officer Md Abdul Mannan told the outlet: "He secretly entered the Sundarbans and hunted wild animals despite being banned from entering the forest long ago.

"He has been carrying out these criminal activities even though there are multiple cases against him... some powerful gangs are involved in this."

Rahman added: "He was on the run for a long time."

A tiger census released in 2018 shows that the number of Bengal tigers in Bangladesh's part of the Sundarbans had increased to 114 that year.

According to data from the Bangladesh Forest Department, the local Bengal tiger population fell to a record low of 106 in 2015, having been at 440 in 2004.

PA

The population rose to 114 in 2019 thanks to a crackdown on poaching in the region.

Regional forest conservation officer Mainuddin Khan said Talukder's arrest had brought 'sighs of relief', telling AFP: "He was a big headache for us. He posed a great threat to the forest's biodiversity."

Talukder started out in the forest collecting honey from wild bees, but then branched out into hunting tigers - in turn reportedly becoming something of a local legend as he continued to evade arrest.

Local honey hunter Abdus Salam told AFP he had a certain level of 'respect' in the area, but that he was also feared.

Speaking to AFP, Salam said: "We equally respect him and are scared of him.

"He's a dangerous man who could fight alone with Mama [tiger] inside the forest."

Featured Image Credit: PA

Topics: World News, News, Animals