31 animal species extinct, 390 endangered

The hyenas which would roam the expansive stretch of Rajshahi’s Barendra region, are now nowhere to be seen in Bangladesh. There use to be rhinoceros in this country too, but no more. Over the last century of so, around 31 such animals have become extinct in Bangladesh.

An updated red list report is being drawn up on regarding the state of 1619 animal species in Bangladesh. This is being prepared jointly by the forest department and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

This report is being drawn up after 15 years, and for the first time using internationally recognized methodology.
A total of 390 wild animals of the country are endangered. And over the last 15 years, 14 new names have been added to the list.

For the first list of 2000, a survey was carried out regarding 266 types of fish, 22 amphibians, 109 reptiles, 388 birds and 110 mammals. It was proven that 13 types of animal life had been rendered extinct over the past 100
years.

IUCN is using a uniform method all over the world for the first time, to prepare the red list of animals. Funded by the World Bank, 200 scientists have worked on finalizing this list in Bangladesh. The environment and forest ministry will officially launch the updated list today.

Professor Ainun Nishat, who had been the IUCN country director in Bangladesh during the 2000 update, told Prothom Alo, the habitat of wild life is being destroyed due to harm being done to the environment. Various developmental work and changes in nature are having an impact on animal life. The objective of the red list is to assess the present state of wild animals.

Wild animal expert Professor Reza Khan is the chief advisor of the present list spanning 2014 to 2015. IUCN is using an internationally recognized method for the task.

The list indicates that over the past 15 years, a large number of various birds have disappeared. Of the 566 species of birds in the country, over the past 100 years or so, 19 have become extinct. The next come mammals, with 11 types vanishing in this time span. One reptile became extinct in this period.

Head of the red list’s bird section, Imam Al Huq, told Prothom Alo, wild life is endangered the world over. The extinction is more rapid in Asia due to extensive destruction of nature. In that sense, the state of wild life in Bangladesh is relatively better.

According to the three criteria used on the list, 56 animal species are critically endangered, 181 are endangered and 153 are vulnerable in Bangladesh. Another 90 are near threatened. However, 803 species remain out of danger.

Team leader of the mammal section and Jahangirnagar University’s Professor Mustafa Firoz told Prothom Alo that basically these animals have become extinct in Bangladesh as they have lost their habitat with the destruction of forests.