Food crisis in Lawachara drives wildlife into localities
A worsening food crisis in Lawachara National Park is forcing various wild animals, including pythons and other reptiles, to leave the forest and enter nearby human settlements, resulting in increasingly frequent human-wildlife encounters.
The Bangladesh Wildlife Service Foundation, a Sreemangal-based voluntary organisation, rescued 19 wild animals from different areas of Sreemangal Upazila in Moulvibazar between September 1 and 30, and another 20 in August, returning the animals to the forest after initial treatment and observation.
The 19 animals rescued in September included 16 snakes, a jungle cat, a Hanuman langur and a civet. Of the 20 animals rescued in August, 17 were snakes of various species, while the others included a Brahminy kite, a slow loris and a capped langur.
Foundation Director Swapan Deb Sajal and environmental activist Rajdeep Deb jointly rescue wildlife including pythons, cobras, slow lorises and vine snakes from homes, business establishments and populated areas.
They also rescue injured or sick animals and arrange medical treatment and care before voluntarily handing them over to the Forest Department for release into safe habitats.
Sajal said that as the distance between human settlements and wildlife habitats continues to shrink, animals frequently stray into inhabited areas.
The foundation is raising awareness about safely rescuing such animals and returning them to the wild instead of killing or harming them, urging people to notify the relevant authorities.
Among the September rescues, a green vine snake was recovered from Sushendra Debnath’s banana depot on September 1. On September 2, a jungle cat kitten was rescued from Anwar Miah’s home in the Jetty Road area, while an Asian palm civet injured in a dog attack was rescued in Rajapur.
At 9pm on September 7, a python was rescued from an abandoned pit in the courtyard of Bablu Deb’s house in Charuigaon. On September 9, a jungle cat was rescued after entering Samar Modak’s home near Abdul Wahab High School in Laharpur to prey on ducks.
On September 10, five monocled cobra hatchlings were rescued from beneath the staircase of Mujahid Ali’s house near Kamalganj Model School. That night, another python was rescued from the wall of a house beside a pond in Purbasha Residential Area.
On September 11, a monocled cobra was rescued from Bhurbhuria Tea Estate. The same afternoon, a Northern Plains gray langur was injured after being hit while crossing the Dhaka-Sylhet Highway and later died.
A brown vine snake was rescued from inside a walking stick at a banana wholesale depot on September 16. On September 17, a python was rescued from the courtyard of Member Kadar Ali’s house in Sirajnagar Lamua. On September 18, a venomous monocled cobra was rescued from Uttam Acharya’s home beside Kalighat Post Office.
On September 19, a massive 16-foot python was rescued from the bed of the late Harun Miah’s house in Ichabpur. The same afternoon, tea workers at Bhurbhuria Tea Estate spotted a snake while plucking tea leaves, and the foundation rescued a rat snake.
On September 23, a rare eyed cat snake was rescued from a window grille on Habiganj Road. On September 24, a venomous banded krait was rescued from the veranda of Kawsar Miah’s house beside Housing Estate Government Primary School after it was spotted on CCTV.
The same morning, Rumon Miah found a massive python entangled in a fishing net he had set in Ukulberi Beel of Hail Haor. After about two hours, rescuers freed it by cutting the net.
A monocled cobra was rescued from Susen Munda’s residence in the Bhurbhuria Tea Estate worker colony on September 25. On September 27, an Asian palm civet entered Subal Das’s shop at Ripa Market and was rescued unharmed. On September 28, a green vine snake was rescued from the staircase of Master Sujit Sen’s house in Puran Bazar.
Rescue records show that pythons were the most frequently rescued species in August. Nine pythons were recovered, although one found in Hail Haor on August 6 was dead, leaving eight live pythons rescued.
On August 15, three snakes of three species were rescued from separate locations: a Tokay gecko from Kripanpur, an Oriental rat snake from Lowagaon and a rare snake from Baridhara Residential Area.
A slow loris was also rescued from Meng slum in North Bharaura, bringing that day’s total to four animals.
The 20 August rescues included nine pythons, two checkered keelbacks, two banded kraits, one Tokay gecko, one rat snake, one rare snake, one Siebold’s water snake, one Brahminy kite, one slow loris and one stump-tailed macaque. In total, 17 of the 20 rescued animals were snakes.
A python was rescued from Hail Haor on August 2, a checkered keelback from Arambagh and another python from North Bharaura on August 3, and another checkered keelback from Purbasha Residential Area on August 4. Following the dead python recovered from Hail Haor on August 6, pythons were rescued from Bridge No. 2 on August 13 and Hail Haor on August 14. A Brahminy kite was rescued from Shahibagh on August 12.
A banded krait was rescued from Madher Gaon on August 19, a slow loris from Shyamali Residential Area on August 21, another banded krait from Purbasha Residential Area on August 25, a python from Bharaura Bagan Road and a Siebold’s water snake from Sindurkhan Kunjaban on August 26. Pythons were also rescued from Bharaura Slum No. 5 on August 28, Satgaon-Khilgaon on August 29 and Ichhabpur on August 30.
Surrounded by haors, thickets, lakes, hills, forests and tea gardens, Sreemangal provides diverse wildlife habitats, while nearby Lawachara National Park is a significant biodiversity area.
Local residents allege that organised and influential groups are encroaching on large forest areas for settlements, resorts and plantations. Such encroachment is shrinking wildlife habitats and food sources, forcing animals into populated areas.
Lawachara, the country’s only rainforest reserve, covers parts of Kamalganj and Sreemangal upazilas. The 1,250-hectare Lawachara Reserved Forest was declared a national park in 1996. It contains 460 biodiversity species, including 167 plant species, four amphibian species, six reptile species, 246 bird species, 20 mammal species and 17 insect species.
However, habitat loss caused by roads, railway lines, encroachment and tourist disturbances, along with pollution from chemical-laden farms and forest destruction, is threatening wildlife and biodiversity. The available habitat needed for food, safe movement and shelter is steadily shrinking, while many rare species are believed to be declining.
Range Officer of the Nature Conservation Department identified the roads and railway lines running through Lawachara as major causes of wildlife fatalities. He also pointed to excessive tourist influx, noise and disturbance caused by visitors entering deep into the forest, and reckless driving on forest roads.
“Wild animals are venturing into human settlements, perceiving their own habitats as unsafe. Due to a lack of awareness, a significant number of these animals that stray into inhabited areas end up being killed by people, the officer added”
According to Forest Department records, Lawachara is home to 20 mammal species, 59 reptile species including 39 snakes, 18 lizards and two tortoises 22 amphibian species, 246 bird species and countless insects. Rare species include the hoolock gibbon, Phayre’s leaf monkey and capped langur, while monkeys, fishing cats, wild dogs, bears and barking deer are also found there.
Other wildlife includes deer, wild goats, turtles and pythons. Birds include green doves, forest roosters, pheasants, turkey hawks, white-browed falcons, eagles, green jays, black-headed jays, black forktails, grey jays, owls, finches, bar-tailed jays, black hawks, diamondbacks, black-headed bulbuls and dhumkals. Common birds include jays, small green jays, parrots, small finches, green cuckoos, pangas and keshraj.
Wildlife experts and environmentalists, however, are sceptical about the continued existence of many endangered and rare species. Wildlife enthusiast and photographer Khokon Singh considers the roads and railway line through the forest death traps for wildlife.
Environmental activist Rajdeep Deb said conscious members of the public have long demanded that the roads and railway lines be relocated, arguing that wildlife cannot be protected unless they are moved.
Despite the continuing crisis, there is reportedly no master plan or permanent initiative to address the problems, leaving Lawachara’s habitats, wildlife survival and biodiversity under growing threat.
