The Uttarbhag tea garden in Rajnagar, Moulvibazar, has started a trial wildlife sanctuary on 50 acres of secluded forest on the estate. The site lies beside the garden's Baratal lake, where Manab Zamin reports more species of animals and birds have been appearing.
With the help of the Creative Conservation Alliance and permission from the Moulvibazar forest department, an injured fishing cat was caught and treated. It was then fitted with a satellite collar and released on a trial basis so that its movements can be followed.
Garden workers Saju, Jiten and Madan said fishing cats roam the area often because of the lake, and that more animals would come if there were more food for them.
Mirza Mehdi Sarwar, assistant conservator of forests in the wildlife management and nature conservation division, said that as far as his department knows this is the first time a tea garden in Bangladesh has taken up wildlife conservation. The work began as a trial with its permission.
Lokman Chowdhury, senior manager of the Uttarbhag and Indanagar tea gardens, said deforestation, illegal hunting, wildlife trafficking, the filling of wetlands and pollution were costing many animals their habitat. The two gardens and the alliance recently also held an awareness meeting with local representatives at the Uttarbhag union council.
At that meeting Shimul Nath, a manager at the alliance, said public awareness was essential to protecting wildlife and biodiversity. The estate has a large forest alongside its tea.
Photo: Shahnoor Habib Munmun / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 3.0)
Source: Manab Zamin
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