How Climate Change Fuels the Struggles of Sunderbans’ Tiger Widows: A Call for Awareness and Action

Gosaba, Sundarbans: Rina Sarkar wades through muddy water, expertly balancing her footing on the soft banks of Chargheri village on Satjalia island. She’s one of 150 local women planting 2,000 mangrove saplings in a vital green initiative. Rina and many of her companions are “tiger widows,” women whose husbands have fallen victim to Bengal tigers.

“In 2022, my husband Sudipto went to catch fish and crabs, and he never came back. A tiger killed him,” she says, her voice steady but heavy with unspoken loss.

The Sunderbans region has countless tiger widows facing unfair challenges. Social isolation, financial struggles, and emotional distress now fill their lives. The rise in human-tiger conflict is a growing problem, often linked to climate change. Rising seas and shrinking land have worsened conditions for both humans and wildlife.

While laws exist for compensation after wildlife deaths, many women still suffer. Debaroti Das from Purbasha Eco Helpline Society (PEHS) shares, “In the Sunderbans, earning a living is tough. Even if you build a home, cyclones can destroy it overnight.” The relentless nature of their environment compounds their hardships.

Anima Mondal, another tiger widow, recalls losing her husband two decades ago. Like others, she was seen as a bad omen, labeled “swami-khejo,” meaning “husband-eater.” Das explains that this stigma often leads to deep isolation. “Some children aren’t allowed to see their mothers before leaving for work; it’s thought to bring bad luck,” she says.

Compensation can be elusive. Umashankar Mandal, founder of PEHS, highlights that many men enter the forests illegally, rendering their deaths unqualified for support. This leaves families vulnerable to exploitation and abuse, with reports of trafficking and violence against these women on the rise.

Climate change significantly contributes to the struggles in the Sunderbans, home to about 4.5 million people. Rising sea levels and more frequent cyclones threaten livelihoods and habitats. According to a 2019 study published in the Science of The Total Environment, suitable tiger habitats could disappear by 2070 due to these changes.

“More people are falling prey to tigers as their natural habitats vanish,” Das says. Recent statistics indicate that around 40 individuals are attacked by tigers each year in this region. As environmental pressures increase, so do the risks for local residents.

Efforts to combat these issues are underway. Mandal and PEHS have planted over 1.1 million mangrove saplings since 2009, with help from 500 volunteers. He emphasizes the importance of mangroves as natural barriers against storms and as carbon sinks that combat climate change.

In addition to environmental work, PEHS supports tiger widows and others in the community through education and sustainable practices, like beekeeping. Yet, Rina expresses the ongoing need for support: “PEHS helps with food and planting, but I struggle to care for my children since my husband passed.” The need for more extensive aid remains clear.

The Sunderbans are a unique ecosystem facing immense challenges. As climate change and human activities continue to threaten this area, the stories of its residents remind us of the delicate balance between humans and nature.