Due to the prolonged drought, even the mighty Lawachhara national park in Kamalganj upazila of Moulvibazar seemed to have lost its life. The leaves on the trees had lost their evergreen colour.
However, after rain over the last two days, Lawachhara has regained its former glory and the animals, the soul of this reserved forest, are wandering around freely amidst the serenity of the forest. They are wandering from tree to tree around the entire forest. This was the scenario of Lawachhara national park during a visit on Monday.
The Lawachhara National Park was established in 1996 with an area of 1,250 hectares of West Bhanugach reserved forest under the Sylhet forest division. This reserved forest is the sanctuary for rare species such as apes, gray langurs, Bengal slow lorises, pangolins, fishing cats, red jungle fowl, Indian muntjacs and various species of snakes and birds.
This forest is also the habitat of various species of flora, including many rare species. Various kinds of bushes and creeper bamboos.
Wild pigs and the long tortoises in the forest have been attracting the tourists for years.
Even a few days ago, this area used to be packed with thousands of tourists. And the noise the tourists created during their visits had ruined the serenity of the forest. Even sightings of the wildlife had become rare because of crowds of tourists in the forest.
In the wake of coronavirus pandemic, the government closed the entry of tourists to the Lawachhara forest. Without the hustle and bustle of the tourists, the forest has returned to its original state.
Upon visiting the Lawachhara forest on Thursday, the animals were seen roaming free in the forest. The monkeys were climbing from one tree to another. Sounds of critically endangered apes could be heard from morning till noon. Bengal slow lorises were seen playing in the fresh green leaves. Red jungle fowl were wandering around in the forest. The forest was abuzz with the birds’ chirping. The Indian muntjacs were also seen roaming around.
Saju Marchhiang, a student leader at Lawachhara Khasia Punji, said the park has returned to its original glory for the first time after its inauguration in 1996. There is no din and bustle of the tourists in the forest at the moment and in two days of rain, the forest has regained its freshness. The animals are roaming freely in the forest without any fear.
Rezaul Karim Chowdhury, divisional forest officer of wildlife and nature conservation division in Moulvibazar, said the forest has regained its freshness in two days of rain. The animals were in the forest were roaming around freely.