<i>Why do Sundarbans deer enter localities?</i>

Deer from the Sundarbans often enter localities as they are 'migratory' by nature and like to change habitats frequently.
Besides, they enter human habitations being chased by hungry tigers of the forest, and to get rid of different kinds of stinging insects of the forest, especially during summer and rainy season, said Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Mihir Kumar.
The DFO also would not rule out adverse impact of climate change and rampant felling of certain species of trees in the Sundarbans as reasons for deer to change habitat.
It has been observed that four deer who entered different villages adjacent to Sundarbans since April 11 were chased by tigers, DFO Mihir Kumar said.
The deer in the Sundarbans suffer from insecurity as they often become targets of both hungry tigers and cruel poachers.
Of late, there has been a sharp rise in poaching of deer in the Sundarbans in which a section of forest officials and local influential people are involved, locals said.
They sell venison as well as skin and horns of deer for high prices.
Sundarbans Forest Division does not have any list of professional poachers nor has it taken any positive move to stop poaching of deer, said an official seeking anonymity.
The forest division conducted a survey during 1996-97 financial year under Integrated Resource Management Project (IRMP).
According to findings of that survey report, there were over one lakh deer in the forest stretching over 6,017 square kilometre area, forest officials said.
Rampant poaching is causing gradual decrease of the deer, which will ultimately create an adverse impact on eco-tourism, said Executive Director of Sundarbans Academy Prof Anwarul Kadir.
Chased by a tiger, two deer swam across the Bhola River and entered Mourashi village under Sharankhola upazila and took shelter in the cowshed of wood trader Hamid Bepari of the same village on Saturday.
Forest guards caught one of them while the other ran away. Forest guards of Sharankhola station office later released the deer into the Sundarbans.
Three spotted deer chased by a tiger entered Uttar Tafalbari village under Sharankhola upazila last month.
Villagers caught two of them while another male deer managed to escape.
The two deer were later handed over to Bipul Chandra Das, assistant conservator of forests of East Wing under Sundarbans Forest Division.
One of them, wounded during its capture by the villagers, later died and the other was released to forest the same day, the forest official said.
On April 11, poachers killed a spotted deer as it entered Chalitabunia village under Sharankhola upazila swimming Terabeka canal after being chased by a tiger, police and forest officials said.