Elephant feeding gardens being established in forests

Elephant feeding gardens are being created in the country's elephant-rich forests.

Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Md Shahab Uddin Thursday said elephant feeding gardens are being created in the country's elephant-rich forests as the mammoths have been facing food crisis there.

 "Elephant feeding gardens are being created in elephant-rich forests," he said while addressing a discussion, organised by the Forest Department, at Ban Bhaban here marking the World Wildlife Day 2022.

 The theme of day this year is "Recovering Key Species for Ecosystem Restoration". 

 Speaking as the chief guest, Shahab Uddin said the Chunti Wildlife Sanctuary of Chattogram has been declared a MIKE (Monitoring the Illegal Killing of Elephants) site for elephant conservation. 

 A view-exchange meeting ensuring participation of local public representatives and locals was held on December 21, 2021 at Satkania under the Chattogram South Forest Department for the conservation of elephants and minimizing elephant-human conflicts, he said. 

 He said at that time, a check of Tk 3.45 lakh was handed over to the families of those affected by wildlife. The minister said the government is doing its best to conserve wildlife, while it has already declared 51 areas as protected areas for the conservation and development of wildlife habitat. 

 The government introduced the 'Bangabandhu Award for Wildlife Conservation' to promote wildlife conservation activities, he added. 

 Shahab Uddin said the Information (Provider) Rewards for Wildlife Crime Disclosure Rules, 2020 has been formulated. 

 The Wildlife Crime Control Unit is working to prevent wildlife trafficking and control crimes, and at present various activities are being carried out for the conservation of wildlife and its habitats through 'Wildlife Conservation and Habitat Development Project' and 'SUFAL Project', he said. 

 "We've to work in a coordinated manner to protect the wildlife of the country, including elephants and tigers," he said. The forest minister said the feasibility study project has recently been completed to determine the current state of habitat connectivity through camera trapping, ensuring possible wildlife corridors. 

 The Wildlife Compensation Rules, 2021 have been formulated to check human-wildlife conflicts, he said, adding that Sheikh Kamal Wildlife Centre was established in 2019 in Gazipur aiming to create trained and skilled manpower and conduct quality research activities for proper management of wildlife and biodiversity. 

 Shahab Uddin said the Red List of Threatened Species has been prepared after assessing the condition of 1,619 wildlife species in Bangladesh. He said two areas of the country have been declared as safe zones for vultures in 2014 to protect the endangered the white-rumped vultures commonly known as Bengal vultures. 

 Two veterinary drugs - diclofenac and ketoprofen - which are harmful to vultures, has been banned in the country, he added. The environment and forest minister said six areas have been declared 'East Asian Australasian Flyway Sites' for the conservation of migratory birds. 

 He said for conservation of dolphins, whales, sharks and other marine animals, 1,738 sq km of the Bay of Bengal's 'Swatch of No Ground' area and 1,743 sq km of the Bay of Bengal adjacent to Saint Martin's Island have been declared as 'Marine Protected Areas'. 

 Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the ministry Saber Hossain Chowdhury, Environment, Forest and Climate Change Secretary Md Mostafa Kamal, Additional Secretary (Admin) of the ministry Md Iqbal Abdullah Harun, Additional Secretary (Environment) Md Monirzzaman, IUCN Bangladesh Country Representative Rakibul Amin, and Chairman of Nature and Life Foundation Mukit Majumder Babu, among others, spoke at the meeting with Chief Conservator of Forests Md Amir Hosain Chowdhury in the chair.