IUCN / SSC Cat Specialist Group - Digital Cat Library |
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| Creative Conservation Alliance, | |
| A preliminary wildife survey in Sangu-Matamuhuri Reserve Forest, Chittagong Hill Tracts, Bangladesh | |
| 2016 Full Book | |
The Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) comprises 10% of the total land area of Bangladesh and falls within the Indo-Burma Biodiversity Hotspot which renders it, undoubtedly, the richest biodiversity hotspot in Bangladesh. However, due to political instability and the general remoteness of this region, the CHT remains the least explored area in Bangladesh. In particular, we know very little concerning the current status of wildlife within the Sangu and Matamuhuri Reserve Forest. We conducted exploratory surveys in Sangu-Reserve Forest, focusing particularly in Sangu Reserve Forest (SRF), from 2011 to 2015. The interview surveys resulting in hunting records, camera trap surveys, and visual observations were conducted primarily through the assistance of the local communities, including several members of Mro tribe who have been trained as a parabiologists. Some notable findings include: Gaur - the largest cattle species in the world, which was declared extinct by IUCN Bangladesh in 2000; six species of wild cats including Asiatic golden cat, marbled cat, clouded leopard, leopard cat, and tiger. The confirmation of tiger is based on the observation of several pugmarks, identified by experts. We do not have enough evidence to show whether a breeding population of tiger exists within the CHT, or if the pugmarks belong to transient individuals, but the pugmarks do prove that tigers still use this area as part of their home range. Furthermore, we documented both sun bear and Asiatic black bear, dhole/Asiatic wild dog, Asian elephants, sambar, barking deer, wild boar, six species of primates including hoolock gibbon and Phayre's Leaf Monkey, three species of hornbill: great hornbill, wreathed hornbill and oriental-pied hornbill; Burmese python, reticulated python, and king cobra; eight species of turtles and tortoises. There are 16 ethnic settlements within the SRF with a resident human population size of about 1600 people. Human influx, seasonal harvest of forest resources, slash and burn agriculture practice, subsistence hunting and poaching and logging are the major threats for wildlife and its habitat. Our preliminary situational analysis indicates that the SRF is one of the most important sites for wildlife in Bangladesh, and with a proper management plan the SRF can have the long term potential to sustain populations of tigers and elephants. 25 of the observed species are globally threatened-2 Critically Endangered, 9 Endangered and 14 Vulnerable-which deems the SRF an important biodiversity site from not only a national perspective, but also a global perspective. |
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