For generations fishermen and villagers around Bangladesh's Sundarbans, the largest mangrove forests in the world, have been collecting wild honey from April to June every year. They are known as "Mawals". This is a dangerous occupation as many honey hunters die in tiger attacks which are common in this area. Honey gathering may sound like a normal rural occupation but here it is perhaps the most dangerous job in the world. As the fishermen move about in search of beehives in the wild, they run the risk of meeting a deadly foe - the Royal Bengal tiger. Then there are venomous snakes inside the forests. In these muddy waters, crocodiles lie in waiting. The Royal Bengal Tiger is an occupational hazard for the honey collectors.
The first stop is to practice an ancient custom. The Sundarbans fishermen pray to the forest Goddess Bonbibi, who they believe will protect them from tigers and other dangers. These fishermen, Hindus and Muslims, have been praying to Bonbibi for generations.The fishermen normally go from island to island for about three weeks in their creaky boats collecting honey, made by some of the largest and most aggressive bees in the world. The honey gatherers travel through muddy saltwater rivers, creeks and narrow channels that criss-cross the Sundarbans forests.
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| Royal Bengal Tiger - prime threat to Honey Hunters |
Picture Source: Collected from Internet
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