Wildlife Experts Demands Joint Initiative to save Jumbos in Barak Valley

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STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: Wildlife experts in Assam have demanded the Centre to launch a joint initiative with Bangladesh to save elephants in the Barak Valley.

According to experts, the only way to save the elephants in the Patharia Reserve Forest in Karimganj district of Barak Valley is through joining hands with Bangladesh for biodiversity conservation.

On other hand, researchers at the Assam University, Silchar, have also observed that initiating any conservation action for the Patharia Reserve Forest area is very tough as this deserves joint initiatives of both the countries (India and Bangladesh). Their observation has been published in a study entitled ‘Importance of trans-boundary conservation of the Asiatic elephant in Patharia hills’. The study has been done by Parthankar Choudhury and Nazimur Rahman Talukdar of Assam University and Rofik Ahmed Barbhuiya of Udhayan, a local NGO.

The Patharia Hills Reserve Forest occupies an area of 76.47 square km and is situated on the western side of Karimganj district and the eastern side of Sylhet district of Bangladesh.

“If conservation action is not taken up right now, the reserve forest will be a dense human settlement area without any trace of wildlife in the near future,” the study says.

Parthankar Choudhury, a researcher at the Department of Ecology and Environmental Studies, Assam University, said there are only six elephants (all females) in the Patharia Reserve Forest and translocation of a male elephant is the need of the hour. Such initiative has to be done by the government on a priority basis for their sustenance in this patch on the Indo- Bangladesh border, he said.

The elephants at the Patharia Reserve Forest are now divided into two small herds, three in each group and it has been observed that one herd always follows the other. They stay on both sides of the forest (Indian as well as on the Bangladesh portion) and cross the border frequently. The elephants have broken the border fences and use the route as their migratory corridor.

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Wildlife Experts Demands Joint Initiative to save Jumbos in Barak Valley

BOOST TO BIODIVERSITY

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: Wildlife experts in Assam have demanded the Centre to launch a joint initiative with Bangladesh to save elephants in the Barak Valley.

According to experts, the only way to save the elephants in the Patharia Reserve Forest in Karimganj district of Barak Valley is through joining hands with Bangladesh for biodiversity conservation.

On other hand, researchers at the Assam University, Silchar, have also observed that initiating any conservation action for the Patharia Reserve Forest area is very tough as this deserves joint initiatives of both the countries (India and Bangladesh). Their observation has been published in a study entitled ‘Importance of trans-boundary conservation of the Asiatic elephant in Patharia hills’. The study has been done by Parthankar Choudhury and Nazimur Rahman Talukdar of Assam University and Rofik Ahmed Barbhuiya of Udhayan, a local NGO.

The Patharia Hills Reserve Forest occupies an area of 76.47 square km and is situated on the western side of Karimganj district and the eastern side of Sylhet district of Bangladesh.

“If conservation action is not taken up right now, the reserve forest will be a dense human settlement area without any trace of wildlife in the near future,” the study says.

Parthankar Choudhury, a researcher at the Department of Ecology and Environmental Studies, Assam University, said there are only six elephants (all females) in the Patharia Reserve Forest and translocation of a male elephant is the need of the hour. Such initiative has to be done by the government on a priority basis for their sustenance in this patch on the Indo- Bangladesh border, he said.

The elephants at the Patharia Reserve Forest are now divided into two small herds, three in each group and it has been observed that one herd always follows the other. They stay on both sides of the forest (Indian as well as on the Bangladesh portion) and cross the border frequently. The elephants have broken the border fences and use the route as their migratory corridor.

Please credit and share this article with others using this link:
https://www.sentinelassam.com/news/wildlife-experts-demands-joint-initiative-to-save-jumbos-in-barak-valley/

Why Assam's Patharia elephant reserve needs to go international

Wildlife experts say the only way to save the elephants in the Patharia reserve forest in Karimganj district of Assam is through joining hands with Bangladesh for biodiversity conservation.

A study — Importance of trans-boundary conservation of the Asiatic elephant in Patharia hills — published in the current issue of the Journal of Threatened Taxa by researchers at the Assam University, Silchar, said initiating any conservation action for the area is comparatively difficult as this deserves joint initiatives of both the countries.

It said in order to protect the wildlife and their habitats, the two countries —India and Bangladesh — can join hands as they have done for the conservation of biodiversity in Sunderbans in 2011.

The study has been done by Parthankar Choudhury and Nazimur Rahman Talukdar of Assam University and Rofik Ahmed Barbhuiya of Udhayan, a local NGO.

The Patharia hills reserve forest occupies an area of 76.47 square km and is situated on the western side of Karimganj district and eastern side of Sylhet district of Bangladesh.

“If conservation action is not taken up right now, the reserve forest will be a dense human settlement area without any trace of wildlife in the near future,” the study says.

“There are only six elephants (all females) in the reserve forest and translocation of a male elephant is the need of the hour and has to be done by the government on a priority basis for their sustenance in this patch on the Indo-Bangladesh border,” Parth-ankar Choudhury of department of ecology and environmental studies, Assam University, told The Telegraph.

“We have been raising this issue for the past three years but there has been no response from any corner till date.”

The elephants are now divided into two small herds, three in each group and it has been observed that one herd always follows the other. They stay on both sides of the forest (Indian as well as on the Bangladesh portion) and cross the border frequently. The elephants have broken the border fences and use the route as their migratory corridor.

“Locals say they have no problem in improving the reserve forest but are demanding protection from crop raiding and other damages caused by the elephants. It has been our observation that the majority of the people have a positive attitude towards conservation of the elephants. They strongly believe that if stern action is not taken by the government and the forest department, the forest might lose its identity,” the study said.

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https://www.telegraphindia.com/states/north-east/why-assam-s-patharia-elephant-reserve-needs-to-go-international/cid/1683801

These women fight wildlife conflict in Bangladesh

Twenty-eight-year-old wildlife defenders Zenifar Azmiri and Sahrin Jahan have been woken up more than once in the middle of night.

Their camp in Cox’s Bazar, the largest refugee camp in Bangladesh bordering Myanmar, houses one million Rohingya refugees fleeing violence in Myanmar.

Last week, UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, visited Cox’s Bazar to draw attention to the plight of the Rohingya refugees and urge more support for Rohingya refugees.

Now the refugees face another challenge: up to 45 elephants pass through their camps, situated along the elephant migratory corridors, as they look for food and water.

“Elephants are very intelligent, and will always follow their traditional migratory corridors,” says Jahan. Since the refugee influx began in August 2017, at least 10 people have died in wildlife conflict, including a 12-year-old boy.

A joint United Nations High Commission for Refugees and the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) survey reveals that frequent elephant movement, mostly along the western boundary, is making refugees vulnerable to elephant invasions and attack.


To read the full article, click on the story title.

These women fight wildlife conflict in Bangladesh

Twenty-eight-year-old wildlife defenders Zenifar Azmiri and Sahrin Jahan have been woken up more than once in the middle of night.

Their camp in Cox’s Bazar, the largest refugee camp in Bangladesh bordering Myanmar, houses one million Rohingya refugees fleeing violence in Myanmar.

Last week, UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, visited Cox’s Bazar to draw attention to the plight of the Rohingya refugees and urge more support for Rohingya refugees.

Now the refugees face another challenge: up to 45 elephants pass through their camps, situated along the elephant migratory corridors, as they look for food and water.

“Elephants are very intelligent, and will always follow their traditional migratory corridors,” says Jahan. Since the refugee influx began in August 2017, at least 10 people have died in wildlife conflict, including a 12-year-old boy.

A joint United Nations High Commission for Refugees and the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) survey reveals that frequent elephant movement, mostly along the western boundary, is making refugees vulnerable to elephant invasions and attack.


To read the full article, click on the story title.