Male elephants needed to prevent extinction in Patharia Forest

Moulvibazar Correspondent :

Md Mosabbir Ali, Moulvibazar correspondent: Patharia Hills Reserve Forest covers one side of Juri and Barolekha upazilas of Moulvibazar.

Juri’s Lathitila forest falls under it. There were once several elephants in this Patharia (Lathitila) forest. Despite adverse conditions, three wild female elephants still survive in this forest.

The elephant population in Patharia forest has been facing extinction since the only male elephant was killed in a shootout by the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) in 2012.

An initiative to rehabilitate the last three female elephants at risk of extinction The Forest Department has taken the initiative to bring male elephants from other places in the country, including the Gazipur Safari Park.

In this regard, the Forest Department has formed a seven-member committee headed by wildlife expert Dr. Mohammad Ali Reza. A specialized technical committee has been formed.

Sylhet Divisional Forest Officer Md. Humayun Kabir has been made the member secretary of the committee. Recently, various areas of Lathitila forest were visited and forest dwellers were consulted on this issue.

The committee members exchanged views with the people (forest villagers).

Experts say that there are no male elephants in Patharia forest. Due to the lack of male elephants, the forest elephants are at extreme risk of extinction.

Because a part of the wild elephants in this forest were male elephants But because the male elephants are dying, the female elephants are not reproducing.

And if they do not reproduce, the elephants will eventually become extinct from this forest.

Elephants from extinction It is very important to bring at least one male elephant to this forest to save it. This will keep the natural forest safe.

The specialized unit formed under the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change from the Office of the Chief Conservator of Forests The technical committee visited the forest.