Sundarban, the world's largest mangrove forest, has become unsafe for wild animals like deer, tiger and crocodiles following rampant and indiscriminate poaching during the last few years. The reasons behind poaching can be attributed to high demand for skin and other organs of wild animals in domestic markets as well as in foreign countries. Some poor people also feel inclined to go for poaching for earning their livelihood. Different groups of people have long been involved in poaching deer, tigers and crocodiles for smuggling their skin to different countries, where these are in high demand. Luxury items like money bag, belt, ladies bag and show pieces are made of skin of wild animals for the fashionable people. The hunters of deer become more active on the eve of religious festivals like Eid-ul-Fitr, Eid-ul-Azha and Puja. The venison is also in high demand for home consumption centering festivals. Venison is available in villages in Bagerhat and other adjoining places of the Sundarbans. Poor people of those areas are increasingly getting involved in poaching deer for earning their bread, local sources said adding one medium size deer fetches between Tk. 8000 to Tk. 10,000 for them. The venison is usually sold at a rate of Tk. 300- Tk. 400 per KG during normal time but its price goes up even up to to Tk 500 to Tk. 700 per KG depending on demand. Venison is chosen as a gift item for politically important people or top civil officials, informed circle said. One Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) of Sundarban told the media that one group is involved in poaching animals, while another group in processing skins, teeth, bone and another group smuggling those to countries including Myanmar, China, Vietnam and Hon Kong. The poachers from Sharankhola, Mongla and Bagerhat sadar kill the wild animals using fire arms, feeding poison and trapping through different indigenous methods, informed circle said. Some poachers in guise of fishermen enter the forest with a pass from the forest department and kill wild animals, sources said adding those who are in the trade are so desperate that they even carry venison to big cities like Dhaka for a good price, they said. Officer in Charge of Sarankhola Humayun Kabir talking to this correspondent said it is not possible to totally stop poaching. Kabir who is in the police station for four months said it was difficult to conduct regular patrolling in his area due to bad communication system. The illegal poaching , he said, is more rampant at Shyamnagar, Mongla and Koira areas. Police raid is occasionally conducted to arrest those engaged in the illegal act, he said. Occasionally members of Coast Guard and other law enforcing agencies recover skins of crocodiles, tigers and deer and also arrest those who are engaged in the illegal business. Those who are engaged in the illegal trade sometimes enjoy blessing of influential people which make it difficult to stop poaching of wild animals, local sources said. Coast Guard in its raid even on September 21 seized a small quantity of venison from Koira thana area while recovering a sizeable quantity of illegal fire arms. An approval to form Wildlife Crime Control Unit in August, 2011 was given by the government to save the wild animals of the Sundarban. According to a survey report there are 440 tigers, 150-200 saline water crocodiles and 1.5 lakh deer in the Sundarban. The government has established a crocodile breeding centre in Koromjhol area of the East Sundarban for breeding of crocodiles in 2002. Superintendent of Police of Bagerhat Nizamul Huq Mollah told this correspondent that if they receive information about poaching they take legal action like filing of case under Wildlife Prevention Act. Besides, occasionally they also conduct preventive steps through patrolling. Mollah however, said that they were not well equipped with for patrolling in coastal areas. As regards the allegation against a section of law enforcers of indifference to duty, he said, if such allegation is received, legal action is taken against persons responsible. Director General (DG) Coast Guard Rear Admiral Kazi Zakir Hossain told The New Nation that poaching has been tarnishing the country's image internationally. He said, "Our priority is to fight against piracy and illegal fishing inside Bangladesh territorial waters. As crimes in the coastal areas have substantially declined Chittagong Port has been excluded from the list of high risk piracy zone," he said adding as a result the insurance premium has been reduced by 30 per cent. He stressed the need for media campaign to curb poaching and smuggling of skin of wild animals. The media, he said, could play vital role in this regard.