GEMS OF THE FOREST :The axis deer, chittra horin in Bangla, is one of the more precious belongings of the Sundarbans. This herd was seen wandering outside of the mangrove forest to eat grass under the open sky. The axis deer’s natural range includes India, Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. Its population is abundant in the Sundarbans but it is locally extinct in central and north-eastern Bangladesh. Axis deer is a gregarious animal and forms matriarchal herds headed by adult females. Though the IUCN listed it as “Least Concern”, its population has decreased in some areas due to hunting and deforestation. In Bangladesh, it is protected under the Wildlife (Preservation) (Amendment) Act, 1974, of Bangladesh -- this has positively impacted its global conservation status. Photo: HABIBUR RAHMAN
OH, RELIEF! … A tiger finds some respite from the searing heat as it takes a dip in the water reservoir in its cage at the Chattogram zoo. Humans and animals have been suffering immensely due to a severe heatwave sweeping across the country. The photo was taken yesterday afternoon.
PHOTO: RAJIB RAIHAN
