Photo of the day

Bengal tigers are one of the most majestic creatures to call the Sundarbans coastal mangrove forest home. In Bengali, Sundarbans translates to “beautiful forest” and the saltwater-tolerant trees within this vast 140,000-hectare ecosystem act together like a giant carbon sponge, soaking up greenhouse gases from Earth’s atmosphere and storing them for hundreds of years. As the forest’s top carnivore, Bengal tigers play a vital role in balancing the populations of other mammals, which in turn balance plant species within the region, allowing the unique aquatic mangrove trees to become the dominant vegetation in this flourishing delta. Without Bengal tigers, this vast coastal forest could not carry out its vital services — helping us fight climate change and providing habitats for countless terrestrial and marine species, as it bridges the boundary between land and sea.