Md. Anwarul Islam*
University of Dhaka, Dhaka, Bangladesh
Samiul Mohsanin
Wildlife Trust of Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh
Gawsia Wahidunnessa Chowdhury
Noakhali Science and Technology University, Sonapur, Noakhali, Bangladesh
Sayam U. Chowdhury
Wildlife Trust of Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh
Md. Abdul Aziz
Jahangirnagar University, Savar, Bangladesh
Mayeen Uddin
Wildlife Trust of Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh
Samia Saif
Wildlife Trust of Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh
Suprio Chakma
Wildlife Trust of Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh
Rezvin Akter
Wildlife Trust of Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh
Israt Jahan
Wildlife Trust of Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh
Isma Azam
Wildlife Trust of Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh
Current status, Asian elephants, Bangladesh
Animal Health and Management
Past distribution Only about a hundred years ago, elephants were abundant in most forests of Bangladesh, including places such as Madhupur near Dhaka. In early 1990s the number of wild elephants was estimated to be 195-234, with 83-100 of them being trans-boundary elephants (Chakraborty 1996; Islam 2006). Current distribution Resident wild elephants are present only in the south-east. They occupy forests in Chittagong, Chittagong Hill Tracts and Cox’s Bazar areas (Fig. 1) (Islam 2006). Trans-boundary elephants occur in the north-east and south-east, with ranges 22overlapping neighbouring India and Myanmar. In the north-east, elephants in Kurigram, Sherpur, Netrokona and Maulvi Bazar districts, have trans-boundary ranges overlapping the Indian states of Meghalaya and Assam (IUCN 2004; Islam 2006). In the south-east, some herds in the Chitagong Hill Tracts move to and from Mizoram state of India and some in the Teknaf area in Cox’s Bazar move to and from Arakan of Myanmar. The presence of non-resident elephants in Bangladesh coincides with paddy harvesting seasons, i.e. February-May and September-December. Numbers There may be around 300-350 wild elephants in Bangladesh of which around 200 are resident and 100-150 have trans-boundary ranges. In 2003 the elephant number was estimated as 178 based on dung counts, and as 196-227 residents and 83-100 non-residents based on interviews and sightings (IUCN 2004). Non-resident elephants consisted of 8-10 in Rajibpur of Kurigram district, 40-45 in Nalitabari of Sherpur district, 20-25 in Durgapur of Netrokona district, and around 10 in the Sylhet forest division of the Maulvi Bazar district, (IUCN 2004; Islam 2006). In 2008-2009, Wildlife Trust of Bangladesh (WTB) and Zoo Outreach Organization (ZOO) India, reported 100-120 elephants in Nalitabari of Sherpur and 50-70 in Durgapur of Netrokona, and 30-35 in Rangunia of Chittagong, based on a participatory rural appraisal and questionnaire survey. Threats Habitat loss and fragmentation have had a severe impact on the wild elephant population in Bangladesh (Islam 2006). It is estimated that the national forest cover has been reduced by more than 50% since the 1920s. Forests have undergone drastic reduction due to fuel wood and timber extraction and conversion to cropland (Gain 1998; Geisen 2001; Islam 2006). An estimate in 1990 revealed that Bangladesh had less than 0.02 ha per capita forest land, one of the lowest forests-to-population ratios in the world. Throughout the 1980s, introduction of advanced technologies, such as high yield varieties of rice, made it possible to expand crop yields without utilizing more land. This vertical expansion (more crop yield on the same area of land) has almost reached its limit. Consequently horizontal expansion into forests and wetlands is on the increase (Islam 2006).Crop depredations by elephants are on the increase in Bangladesh, during which people also get injured and killed. In 1997, 21 human and 2 elephant deaths were recorded and the economic loss caused by elephants through feeding and trampling of crops amounted to about US $ 102,000 in 30 incidents (Islam et al. 1999). In 2000, 17 people were killed and 15 injured by elephants. Three elephants were killed by local people in September and November 2001. Newspapers recorded the death of 7 elephants and 47 people from 2006 to 2011 and the Bangladesh Forest Department recorded the death of 37 elephants from 2003-2011 and 73 people from 2008 to 2010.The main threat to elephants in the northeast is disruption of their migration routes due to development (IUCN 2004). A new threat to trans-boundary elephants is permanent fencing along international borders. Such fences built by India and Myanmar will seriously disrupt the regular movement of elephants between them and Bangladesh. Another threat is monoculture (rubber and acacia) plantations in and around elephant habitats in the Bandarban district by the Forest Department and others. ‘Rohinga’ (refugees from Myanmar) encroachment of elephant habitats is another long lasting threat in the south-east. Demand for elephant meat and tusks in the south-east also pose a serious threat to elephants. Management and HEC mitigation About 2% of the country’s total area has been brought under protection through government initiatives. Teknaf Game Reserve and Chunati Wildlife Sanctuary in the southeast were set up specifically to protect elephants. However, human-elephant conflict (HEC) still occurs within and around protected areas. Protected area management is inadequate due to lack of funds and capacity.IUCN-Bangladesh has been working in elephant conservation since 2001, establishing baselines, conducting pilot interventions, mapping elephant distribution, HEC areas, elephant corridors and paths, and improving understanding on HEC issues at community and decision-maker levels. WTB in collaboration with ZOO, worked on human-elephant conflict resolution by conducting research and awareness programmes from 2008 to 2009 at Sherpur, Netrokona and Chittagong, and provided training and awareness workshops on human-elephant coexistence (HECx) and translated HECx manual to the local language (Bangla). In May 2004, WTB along with the Bangladesh Forest Department helped Indian foresters to successfully translocate three elephants from Gopalganj district of Bangladesh to India. These elephants came all the way from Jharkhand of India. In 2010, the Government of Bangladesh approved a compensation scheme for loses caused by elephants with US$ 1400 for loss of life, US$ 700 for physical injury and US$ 350 for loss of livestock, property, plants, trees, crops etc. (MoEF 2010). However, no one has yet got this money due to official formalities.
Gajah 35 (2011) 21-24
Journal