Forest officials in Khagrachhari recovered a rare Asiatic black bear and other wildlife from private custody, transferring them to protected forest habitat at Cox’s Bazar’s Dulahajara Safari Park safely on Tuesday.
Authorities rescued nine wild animals, including a nearly extinct Asiatic black bear, six deer and two monkeys from a private residence in Khagrachhari district, in the Chittagong Division of Southeastern Bangladesh on Tuesday afternoon. The joint operation was carried out by the Forest Department and the Wildlife Management and Nature Conservation Division in the Tentultala area of Khagrachhari Sadar.
The animals were handed over to Cox’s Bazar’s Dulahajara Safari Park, where they will be released into a protected natural forest habitat.
The Forest Department reported that the animals were kept at the house of former local council member Nabadwip Chakma, who voluntarily informed authorities about them. He said he had purchased the animals from local hunters to protect them from poaching. “Many people were hunting these animals in the forest. I bought them to safeguard and raise them at home. When I realized it was wrong to keep them in captivity, I informed the Forest Department so they could be returned to the wild safely,” he said.
Khagrachhari Divisional Forest Officer Farid Miah emphasized that keeping wild animals is illegal and that such acts threaten endangered species. He noted that Mr. Nabadwip Chakma acknowledged his mistake and assured authorities he would not engage in similar activities again. “Humans have the right to live and so do wild animals. They are the jewels of nature,” he said.
Officials warned that deforestation and illegal hunting are driving many species toward extinction. The Asiatic black bear, listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, faces shrinking habitats and poaching pressure across Asia. “If we do not act now, future generations may never see these animals in the wild,” Miah said.
The Forest Department continues to conduct awareness campaigns and enforcement operations to protect wildlife and conserve endangered species across the region.
