A bird census conducted for two days at Hakaluki haor in Srimangal upazila of Moulvibazar found nearly forty-thousand water birds in and around the expansive wetland.

Members of Bird Club Bangladesh and International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN Bangladesh) carried out the survey between January 28 and 29 and counted a total of 40,126 water birds, reports our Moulvibazar correspondent quoting Enam Ul Haque, founder of the bird club.

The team observed a total of 53 species of water birds during their count which made the eminent birder highlight the need for conservation.

During the survey, they also saw a Bear’s Pochard, which is a critically endangered species indicating that the area is a biodiversity hotspot.