Set between the Indian plains and the hills of Myanmar, Bangladesh has more to offer in matters of conservation than one might expect. Wet and flat it may be but there are hills in the Sylhet and Chittagong districts, rising to over 1200 metres, and a large section of the Ganges delta sprawling across the southern coastline.
Different habitats encourage a variety of fauna and flora and with the establishment of parks and reserves, conservation efforts are well under way.
Bangladesh National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries
Bangladesh boasts eight national parks and seven wildlife sanctuaries, many with recreation facilities, trails and guides, plus five conservation areas and one game reserve, Teknaf, overlooking the Bay of Bengal and known for medicinal plants.
Closest to Dhaka, the Bhawal National Park is home to peacocks, python, catfish, deer and others and protects a coppice sal forest. Himchari near Cox Bazar has grasslands and rainforest sheltering gibbons, leopards and sloth bears.In the Bay of Bengal, Nijhum Dweep adds its own contribution with some 5000 deer, clawless otters, fishing cats, turtles and dolphins.
Top of the wildlife sanctuaries is the UNESCO listed Sundarban, divided into east, west and south, across the Ganges delta spreading into India. Mudflats, islands, waterways, mangrove and freshwater swamps support crocodiles, flying fox, pangolin, chital, snakes, Ridley turtles and tigers.
Bangladesh Bengal Tigers and Endangered Species
Bangladesh has adopted the Royal Bengal tiger as its national emblem, setting up the Sundarban tiger project in 2005 to collect data, study habitat and raise conservation awareness through education. A male Bengal tiger weighs over 200 kg and hunts mostly at dusk, feeding on medium to large preys. In 2010, the Bengal tiger population was estimated below 2500 across the Indian subcontinent with over 200 in Bangladesh, mostly in the Sundarban but a few in the eastern hills.
Among other endangered species found in Bangladesh are Indian elephants, black bears and hoolock gibbons, the second largest of the species, a number of snakes, turtles and crocodiles. The blind freshwater dolphin is seen in groups of just two or three and often considered on the critical list. Rare birds include the Baer’s pochard and Palla’s fishing eagle.
Bird Watching in Bangladesh
Over 600 species of birds have been spotted in Bangladesh, including those of Indian or Malaysian origin and migrating birds heading south, among them Himalayan and Burmese summer residents. Birding areas range from Madhupur, Satchari and and the Sylhet wetlands to Himchari near the Burmese border and the coast, especially the Noakhali region and the Sundarban. Winter is reported to be the best season for bird watching, preferably with a knowledgeable guide to ensure top sightings.
Myna and magpie robins are among the most common birds but one is sure to see lots of waterfowl and waders, especially during the floods, alongside some of the 22 varieties of kingfishers. Bangladesh also boasts 12 species of woodpeckers, including endangered red-cockadel specimens, raptors, parrots and macaws, hoopoes, hornbills, bee eaters and lovely tropicbirds with extra long tail feathers. The coast attracts gulls and terns, Indian skimmers, greenshanks and some rare species such as the spoon-billed sandpiper and the ruddy kingfisher.
For nature lovers and savvy travellers, there’s more to Bangladesh than meets the eye.
Source: Lonely Planet Bangladesh by Stuart Butler
Solange Hando - I am a travel writer, editor and photographer, contributing to a range of publications in the UK and worldwide.
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