‘Choshma Pora Hanuman’
The lush forests of Moulvibazar in Bangladesh are home to a variety of wildlife, including the rare and endangered Phayre's Leaf Monkey. It is also known as the Indochinese Silvered Langur, a species of primate found in Southeast Asia. It is known for its striking appearance, with black fur, white fur around the eyes, and a unique tuft of white hair on its forehead. In Bangla, they are called "Choshma Pora Hanuman", as they appear as if they are wearing spectacles. The body is usually 55 to 65 cm long, and the tail length is about 65 to 80 cm. They are considered endangered due to habitat loss and hunting.
In Moulvibazar of Bangladesh, they face an additional threat -- electrocution from uncovered cables in the Lathitila Reserve Forest. Many of these innocent creatures have died from electrocution recently, putting the very biodiversity of the area at stake.
In this report, this correspondent has delved deeper into the issue, exploring the plight of the Phayre's Leaf Monkey and the urgent need for action to save this endangered species from extinction.
The discovery of a Phayre's Leaf Monkey cub crying beside its deceased mother on the beside a roadside canal on April 7 was a heart-wrenching sight for locals in the area. The incident, however, is not an isolated one, and it highlights the plight of these endangered primates. Local wildlife activist Khurshed Alam has expressed deep concern over the recurring deaths of these monkeys due to electrocution in the forest.
"These animals survive only with a little effort," he said.
There is a road that runs through this 5,630,40 acre protected forest. Along that route, a rural energy transmission line has been installed. There have been no extra precautions taken to safeguard wild animals from electrocution. If the electric lines running through the forest had a specific rubber cover, wildlife would not have died.
He explained that Phayre's Leaf Monkeys like to stay in groups, which can consist of up to 19 members, with multiple females and males. The males keep the group under control, and each group usually includes 3 to 6 female monkeys with children and elderly members. The female monkeys never leave the group, but if the male is an adult, it creates a new team. "Thus they keep the genetic traits between themselves," he said.
According to Alam, deforestation has depleted the monkeys' sources of food, such as various fruits, leaves, and flowers, pushing them to the brink of extinction. Phayre's Leaf Monkeys usually roam the treetops in search of food. But shrinking food sources has forced them to come down on land and get exposed to the uncovered cables lying carelessly everywhere around the forest.
Rezaul Karim Chowdhury, former divisional forest officer of the Forest Department's Wildlife Management and Nature Conservation Department, stated, "There is a road that runs through this 5,630,40 acre protected forest. Along that route, a rural energy transmission line has been installed."
"There have been no extra precautions taken to safeguard wild animals from electrocution. If the electric lines running through the forest had a specific rubber cover, wildlife would not have died."
Md Rumizzaman, the beat officer and in-charge of Lathitila forest, reported that three Phayre's Leaf Monkeys died in the last two months after coming into contact with electric wires in the reserved forest. "This is a scary stat," he said. "If they continue to die in this way, the almost extinct animals will disappear for good," he added.
AKM Ashraful Huda, AGM of Barlekha Zonal Office of Pally Bidyut, said the forest department has sent a letter urging to cover the electric lines in the Lathitala reserved forest.
The design has been sent to the head office for construction, but Huda does not know exactly when will the electric lines be covered.
Environmentalist Kamrul Hasan Noman, a member of the Patharia Wildlife Conservation Team, added that various types of wild animals live in the Lathitila forest, if they continue to die, everything will soon be lost. "It is necessary to take necessary measures to protect them," he stressed.
Meanwhile, the forest department has set up a "canopy bridge" in the forest for the movement of various wild animals, including Phayre's Leaf Monkeys. Although locals saw a group crossing the bridge a few days ago, it is not enough to protect them, he added.
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