Ecologies of capture in Bangladesh's Sundarbans

A dramatic surge in banditry and kidnapping in Bangladesh's Sundarbans, the world's largest mangrove forest, is linked to climate change-driven disruptions. This study introduces the concept of an 'ecology of capture' to illustrate how global conservation efforts and new political economies intersect with long-standing practices, creating new forms of expropriation and exploitation. The research examines the complex interplay between climate hot spots, resource control, and criminal predation, highlighting the unintended consequences of conservation interventions in fragile ecosystems.

CONS, J. (2021). Ecologies of capture in Bangladesh’s Sundarbans. American Ethnologist, 48(3), 245–259. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1111/amet.13022