Threats to the Teknaf Wildlife Sanctuary of Bangladesh

Abstract

Loss of wildlife, encroachment on forest lands and illegal cutting of trees are the major culprits of management of protected areas (PAs) of Bangladesh. To increase support from local communities and ensure long-term sustainability for Forest PAs in Bangladesh, including Teknaf Wildlife Sanctuary (TWS), community-based conservation approach was introduced by Bangladesh Forest Department. In this study, the effectiveness of forest co-management approach for reducing threats was assessed through key informant interviews, and focus group discussions (FGDs) at TWS. Secondary data were also collected from official document reviews, project reports, journals, books. The study found six direct threats at TWS. Among these, wood collection was the most severe threat. The findings also revealed that, through threat reduction indices, illegal logging, encroachment and hunting, grazing was reduced at a great extent in TWS. We suggest that continuation of co-management of TWS can conserve its natural resources in a sustainable way.

Spatiotemporal pattern of forest degradation and loss of ecosystem function associated with Rohingya influx: A geospatial approach

“…The forest resources of the Country are already in a critical state because of a number of reasons, including high dependency of a large number of marginalized people on forests for their livelihood (Byron & Arnold, 1999; Moslehuddin et al, 2018). Supporting additional people to take refuge, as a result of violence in a neighbouring country, seems to have aggravated current deforestation rates (Alam, Misbahuzzaman, Rahman, & Kabir, 2015), particularly in an environmentally fragile ecosystem zone.…”

A new species ofPhrynoglossusPeters, 1867; Dicroglossidae) from southeastern Bangladesh, with comments on the generaOccidozygaandPhrynoglossus

“…It was initially granted formal protection in 1983 as a Game Reserve and its total area is approximately 11,651 ha ( Green, 1987 ). While TWS once supported primary evergreen and semi-evergreen forests, these forests have now been largely replaced with human-modified landscapes and only degraded forest remains ( Alam et al, 2015 ). The reserve is longitudinally narrow, running roughly 28 km in a north-south direction and 3–5 km east–west ( Uddin et al, 2013 ) with linear hill tracts reaching as high as 700 m above sea level.…”

Population assessment of the endangered Western Hoolock Gibbon Hoolock hoolock Harlan, 1834 at Sheikh Jamal Inani National Park, Bangladesh, and conservation significance of this site for threatened wildlife species

“…Threat assessment was conducted through direct field observations and feasible conservation measures were identified in discussions with focus groups, including forest-dependent people, nearby communities and villagers, community patrol groups, local community leaders and other relevant stakeholders, such as forest department staff (BOBLME 2013;Alam et al 2014). Three focus-group discussions (FGD) were conducted with the participants at Boro Inani, Patuartake, and Swankhali between March and June 2018.…”

“…Participants were selected in consultation with the local forest department and village headmen. Predefined questionnaires were completed to assess the perceived impact of the huge Rohingya influx to Inani and to identify possible conservation measures to save the wildlife at Inani, including its Western Hoolock Gibbons (Alam et al 2014).…”