Bangladesh News

A few species of mammals, reptiles and amphibians are fighting their seemingly last battle to survive in concrete jungles in the capital, either by taking refuge in the diminishing green patches or niches in structures.

“The city has expanded in such an unplanned way in the last three decades that almost entire wildlife habitat has already been destroyed,” Dr Reza Khan, chief of Dubai Zoo and eminent wildlife expert of the country, told The Daily Star.

In the remaining green patches of the city, several avian species still flutter, though very few in numbers. Besides birds, some wild monkeys, jackals, mongoose, bats, and squirrels are still available.

In many parts of Old Dhaka, especially in Doyaganj, and sometimes in Mirpur rhesus monkeys are still seen on rooftops, rain sheds and even on balconies. Local residents and animal lovers regularly feed the groups to keep the near-extinct species alive.

Some residents around the Botanical Garden said still some jackals howl in the area.

“I have seen some jackals even in this winter lying with their cubs,” said a man living in Pallabi (extension) just beside the Botanical Garden.

Mongoose roam in Dhanmondi, Mohammadpur, Azimpur, Hazaribagh, Mirpur, Gulshan, Secretariat building and some pockets of Dhaka University, and Shahbagh and many other places.

Mongooses are day-active mammals surviving in the city by feasting mainly on rat and insect population, while chickens sometimes fall prey to it. The species is also seen near waste bins where they have learnt to extract leftovers for survival.

Jackals once roamed freely in the city, but the animal is now on the verge of extinction. But still sightings of jackals and their howling are frequent in areas like Mirpur ceramic factory. On the BDR headquarters premises and its adjoining areas there were reported sightings as well.

“In the Botanical Garden and surrounding villages there are still some jackals,” said Reza Khan.

Presently small colonies of fruit bats and pipistrelle (chamchika) exist in different parts of the city. While bat colonies are seen hanging from branches of large trees in Ramna Park, National Botanical Garden and some others areas, pipistrelle choose to live in the loopholes of old buildings.

Talking with the locals it is learnt that some water monitors are now counting their days. They can be sighted in and around Mirpur Botanical Garden and National Zoo and by the Turag river.

Irawadi and five-stripe squirrels are now seen in very limited numbers at Ramna Park, Suhrawardy Udyan, and Botanical Garden and also at the zoo.

Some species of snakes including Chequered Keel Backs (dhora shap), two species of cobras, vine snakes (shutanoli), wolf snake (ghor ginni), golden tree snake (kal nagini) and many other species were quite common in the city wetlands and its periphery. Still in the marshy areas of Khilgaon, Adabar, Rayerbazar and Mirpur Chequered Keel Backs are often sighted.

Experts said city-loving birds are dominated by House Crow, House Sparrow, smaller population of Jungle Crow, Jungle and Common Mynas, Rock Pigeon, Magpie Robin, Rose-ringed Parakeet, Pygmy and Black-rumped Flameback Woodpeckers, Red-vented Bulbul, Common Tailor Bird, Little Green Bee-eater, Koel, Coppersmith Barbet, Pariah Kite, Brahminy Kite, Black-headed Oriole, Tree Pie, Black Drongo, Common Iora, Purple-rumped Sunbird, Common and White-breasted Kingfisher and Paddy Bird or Pond Heron. These species are still available by the wetlands or in the parks or on the electric polls.

The next dominant group is no doubt the insects such as butterflies, moths, mosquitoes, flies, cockroaches, crickets, grasshoppers, bed bugs, body lice and other arthropods like the spiders.

Just after rainfall croaks of frogs can still be heard all over the city, which is house to at least four species of frogs. Skipper frog and tree frogs are however almost extinct but bullfrogs and toads are spotted occasionally.

Many houses and business establishments or offices support at least one and sometimes two species of House Geckos, while garden lizards are also available in the city.

Pangolin, a scaly anteater, feeding on termites and grubs has become almost extinct. But on occasions they are caught near water bodies in Mirpur and Joarsahara a couple of years ago.

Dr Reza Khan said through email that in spite of the fact that people are destroying natural habitat for constructing their own residential quarters, office blocks and business establishments, some animals will always be close to them.

“We shall have to accept these as our companions,” he wrote.