Sundarbans Tiger Widows
51 images Created 16 Feb 2012
After Cyclone Aila struck the Sundarbans in 2009, locals still struggle with logged salt water that renders fertile farming land unusable on Gosaba island, Sundarban, West Bengal, India, on 18th January, 2012. Due to this loss of livelihood, many have had to turn to fishing or wild honey gathering in the forest reserve, exposing themselves to becoming prey for the sanctuary's booming tiger population. A successful Royal Bengal tiger breeding program has increased their numbers but decreased the number of husbands. There are now an estimated 3,000 widows in the villages where their husbands, have been killed by tigers. Photos by Suzanne Lee