Kolkata: In an exercise that would provide the first ever accurate headcount of Royal Bengal Tigers in the world's largest mangrove tiger land of Sundarbans spread along the Indo-Bangla international border, Bangladesh would begin a week-long census operation for the wild cats in its part from February 25.

Coming right after India conducted the census exercise from January 14 to 20 on this side of the vast mangroves the two countries share between themselves, the Bangladesh tiger census ending on March 2, would be the first one by that country in 11 years.

A joint team of Indian and Bangladeshi forest officials, which finalised the dates for the Bangladesh operations last evening, said Bangladesh would adopt for the first time the scientific pugmark and cluster analysis system, long used by India, to eliminate repetition in headcount.

Sunderban biosphere reserve director Atanu Raha said the standard method adopted by both countries would enable wildlife experts to get the most authentic data on tigers in the history of Sunderbans.

The mangroves were partitioned between the two countries in December 1947 with 4264 sq km area falling in the Indian side and Bangladesh getting around 6000 sq km. The last Indian census in 2001 had recorded 271 Royal Bengal Tigers and that of Bangladesh in 1993 found 350 big cats.

After the Bangladesh census this time, wildlife experts would collate the data emerging from either part of the forest to provide the clearest picture on the wild cats within the next six months, Raha added.