Twenty percent of wild animals are under threat of Extinction
Thirty-one species of wild animals have disappeared from the country’s forests in five decades. Animals like elephants, tigers, bears, pythons, king cobras, and goats are on the verge of extinction. Researchers say that 20 percent of Bangladesh’s 1500 wild animal species are threatened with death.
According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) survey, at one time, there were 12 horned deer in Sylhet forest. 11 mammals, including wild buffalo, wolves, 19 species of birds, and 31 species of freshwater crocodiles, have become extinct in the last 50 years.
Bees are one of the primary means of pollination of plants. Seventy percent of fruits and vegetables are born through them. So, Bees are called friends of the environment. But the existence of bees is now under extreme threat.
Due to natural calamities, air pollution, increase in temperature, and excessive use of pesticides, this insect’s life is now facing extinction. Dr. Manowar Hossain, Professor of the Department of Zoology of Jahangirnagar University, said, “Among the 20 species of Bees in the country, the Bees of the Sundarbans and hilly areas are most at risk.”
Three species of Rhinoceros lived in areas surrounded by the Teesta basin in the north, the Sundarbans in the southwest, and the Chattagram Hill Tracts. This animal has been destroyed by the evolution of time. This herbivorous mammal has disappeared from the nature of the country.
Professor Ainun Nishat, a climate and environment researcher, said that in the last century, the country’s grasslands were inhabited by peacocks.
In this situation, the government has taken several initiatives to save wild animals. Safe areas have been built in Khulna, Barisal, Sylhet, and Chittagong to save vultures. Twenty-four wildlife sanctuaries are also protected, including Sundarbans, Rema-Kelanga, 18 national parks, and safari parks.
The wildlife crime unit has stopped trafficking and killing—Swatch of No Ground, Marine Protected Area in the Bay of Bengal. Airguns have been banned recently.
