Bangladesh's last wild elephant | Green Club International News

Editor's note: The survival environmental changes caused by climate change, and the rampant poaching behavior for the purpose of obtaining ivory, has always seriously threatened the survival of elephants. At the same time, the overlapping of human life and elephant life has deepened the contradiction between people and elephants. This has a huge harm to the survival of both parties. China Biological Diversity Protection and Green Development Foundation (referred to as China Green Fair, Green Association) has long been committed to biodiversity protection and green development. The International Department of the Green Association learned that Bangladesh was relieved of people's conflict and protecting elephant's efforts. The relevant content is published as follows, for friends who are interested in reference and understand.

(Picture source: mongabay picture description: Asian elephant in Bangladesh forest)

The loss of the habitat and the degeneration of forests and human beings on the forest protection area are driving the Asian elephant into the human habitat to find food, which increases human conflict.

In 2016, only 268 Bangladesh lived in Asian elephants; in the past five years, more than 50 were killed, of which 34 were killed in 2021.

Bangladesh's 12 -determined elephant corridors, despite the degradation of forests, human settlement, seizing forest land, and no plan development, at least one corridor no longer has this function.

The Forest Department has designed a new protection project to protect this endangered species, including strengthening law enforcement and restoring habitats.

In the early morning of July 19th, a group of wild elephants came down from the mountain to the mountains in Bangladesh ’s Chattograph district in Character.

In the process of foraging, elephants soon began to destroy crops and banana orchards planted near the forest.

ABDul Rashid, 55, is a farmer in the village of Mirkhali (Mirkhali). He is anxious to protect his banana garden from being damaged. Unfortunately, the elephant trampled him to death.

Sarafbhata Union Parishad, the chairman of the Sarafbhata Union Parishad, said, "SHEIKH Farid Uddin Chowdhury) said," The group of wild elephants will attack us every night at night. In the area, to obtain food, "the committee is the local administrative committee that jurisdiction over this area. More people are killed. "

According to Masum Kabir, an official in Lamugania, Bangladesh's forest department, three people have been confirmed to be killed by elephant attacks in the past month.

Bangladesh's wild Asian elephant (Indian Elephas Maximus Indicus) is an endangered species, in the Kyoda Gangshan region (CHT) and Qutglam, Cosbaste, Mamen Singh and Chattogram ( COX's Bazar, Mymensingh and Sylhet) can be found in the forests of a province or state).

Due to the loss of habitats, the rapid degradation of natural forests, and people's occupation of Elephant Reserve, more and more elephants were forced to leave the forest to find food. And they need a large amount of food: an Asian elephant usually consumes more than 150 kg (330 pounds) plants and about 140 liters (37 gallons) of water per day.

(Picture source: Mongabay picture description: A banana plantation in Bangladesh. Elephant destroying crops and banana orchards planted near the forest when foraging.)

When the wild elephant enters the human residential area or in the forest or nearby farms to find food, people try to resist them, which exacerbates the conflict of human beings. Some farmers install wires around crops, and some are fatal to prevent elephants from foraging. As a result, many elephants were killed by wires, which led to a decrease in the population population in Bangladesh.

According to the World Nature Protection Alliance (IUCN) survey, in 2016, Bangladesh had only 268 permanent elephants. All these animals live in forest areas in the southeast.

According to a recent report of Bangladesh's Nature Conservation Alliance (BNCA), only 34 elephants were killed in 2021-exceeded one-tenth of the total. The alliance consists of 33 environmental protection organizations. The Bangladesh Forest Department said that in the past five years, more than 50 elephants across the country have been killed.

The former chief forest protector of the department Ishtiaq Uddin Ahmad (Ishtiaq Uddin Ahmad) said: "The habitat of elephants has declined sharply in the country, and the increase in the scope of human activities in elephants has led Pitch conflicts rose rapidly. "

He said that it is necessary to improve the source of food and water in the forest by improving the natural environment so that the elephant can survive. He also suggested to provide compensation to the families of the victims in the elephant attack, so as to ensure that they will not cause any harm to the elephant to show revenge.

Wildlife biologist M. Monirul H. Khan said that even if their habitat is reduced, elephants still need a lot of food.

"Sometimes people grow crops on their occupation forest land. Of course, this will cause wild elephants to invade these crops. Farmers often kill elephants to save their crops." Monilu said.

He added that the forest department did not do enough in controlling people's conflict.

"Elephants are often trapped in the wires installed by local farmers. Local law enforcement agencies must take action to prevent elephants from death because of this." Monirur said.

(Picture source: mongabay)

Restore natural forest

Due to the occupation, cutting forests, and infrastructure in the construction of forest protection areas, Bangladesh has lost a large number of natural forests every year. Proters say that if you do not give the forest a chance, it will be difficult to protect wildlife including elephants.

Ishtiak is also a former representative of the World Nature Conservation Alliance in Bangladesh. He said the fragmentation of the forest occurred at the same time as its ecosystem decline. He emphasized that it is necessary to restore the occupied forest land and regenerative degenerate forests to ensure the safe habitat of wild animals including elephants.

"If the forest land disappears, where do we grow trees? If the concrete structure is built on the forest and elephant corridors, how will the elephant move?" Ishtiak said.

Moniru, who is also a Professor of JahangiRNAGAR University at the University of Darkajahagal: If the natural habitat of the elephant is not supplemented and guaranteed, it is difficult to protect them by implementing laws. He said that the local tree species should be planted in the forest protection area to ensure the food supply of the elephant.

(Picture source: mongabay)

Restore natural forest

Due to the occupation, cutting forests, and infrastructure in the construction of forest protection areas, Bangladesh has lost a large number of natural forests every year. Proters say that if you do not give the forest a chance, it will be difficult to protect wildlife including elephants.

Ishtiak is also a former representative of the World Nature Conservation Alliance in Bangladesh. He said the fragmentation of the forest occurred at the same time as its ecosystem decline. He emphasized that it is necessary to restore the occupied forest land and regenerative degenerate forests to ensure the safe habitat of wild animals including elephants.

"If the forest land disappears, where do we grow trees? If the concrete structure is built on the forest and elephant corridors, how will the elephant move?" Ishtiak said.

Moniru, who is also a Professor of JahangiRNAGAR University at the University of Darkajahagal: If the natural habitat of the elephant is not supplemented and guaranteed, it is difficult to protect them by implementing laws. He said that the local tree species should be planted in the forest protection area to ensure the food supply of the elephant.

(Picture source: Mongabay picture description: Wild elephant in the Greater Port of Bangladesh. Due to the occupation, forest destroyed and infrastructure construction of the forest protection area, Bangladesh is lost every year.

Constantly reduced elephant corridor

The elephant moves from one habitat to another through the forest corridor. Any obstacles on their roads, including farms and settlements, will conflict with humans and threaten the lives of both sides.

"Elephant never lives in one place, but moves from one place to another through the corridor. It must make their actions be unburdeded," said Ishtiak.

Experts say that the scope of elephant activities in Bangladesh has been limited to a small area, and some corridors have completely disappeared because forest degradation, human settlement, forests have been occupied by agriculture, unplanned development projects, and single forest structures Establishing.

In the 2016 survey, the World Nature Conservation Alliance identified 12 elephant corridors in Bangladesh. Administration said that since then, one of these corridors has disappeared because of the Rohingya Refugee Camps in Cox ’s Bazar.

Monirul's Tao: Wild Elephant Corridor should be protected in "real sense".

"The government is implementing development projects in the elephant corridor and retaining channels for wildlife. But these have not been scientifically designed." He said.

Ishtiak said that there was a proposal that Bangladesh and India signed a protocol to jointly maintain the corridor within the cross -border range between the two countries.

At the same time, he added: "We must restore the elephant corridor because most of them have been destroyed."

Forests and forest protectors in the forest department Mollah Rezaul Karim said that the department has sent a letter to the environment, forest and climate change department, asking him 11 elephant corridors.

(Picture source: Mongabay picture description: Experts say that the range of elephant activities in Bangladesh has been restricted in small blocks, and some corridors have completely disappeared.)

New protection measures

According to reports, the forest department has designed an elephant protection project with a budget of 500 million Taka ($ 5.3 million) and submitted it to the Planning Committee for approval.

"Once the planning committee approves the project, the forest department will immediately start the project work once the planning committee approves the project, and it aims to protect elephants from extinction."

According to the project, the department will establish an orchard, planting the crops that elephants like to eat, as well as the Paudi Garden and Bamboo Garden, to provide a safe habitat, breeding place and food safety guarantee for wild animals.It will also set up an anti -predatory team and an elephant response team in the elephant reserve to prevent people's conflict.In addition, officials in the forest department proposed that the plan required the construction of an elephant monitoring tower in the elephant protected area and the elephant orphanage.

But while formulating these plans, forest occupation continues, and Ishtiak warned.

"Therefore, wild animals, including elephants, are still in danger." He added.

For the original text:

https://news.mongabay.com/2022/08/bangladesh-struggles-zo-protect-last-wild-wild-elePhants/

Compilation: HINA

Review: nicole, Lucy

Edit: Pierre

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