Once upon a time, the people of Dhaka awoke to the cawing of crows, their numbers a remarkable sight around the city.
However, due to various factors, crows are no longer as prevalent in the city as before.
Many animals, including crows, are on the brink of extinction in Dhaka city due to habitat and food shortages, unplanned urbanization, and an overabundance of technological installations like mobile towers, warn experts.
This disruption endangers the natural cycle or ecology, raising concerns about potential environmental disasters.
Areas like Dhanmondi Lake, Ramna Park, Suhrawardy Udyan, and the Dhaka University vicinity have witnessed a significant decline in the crow population.
Although there are no formal studies or assessments of the crow population in Dhaka city over the years, bird enthusiasts and environmental and animal experts unanimously observe a noticeable decrease in crow numbers over the past decade.
Saiful Islam, a bird enthusiast who regularly feeds crows and other migratory birds in the Ramna Park area, noted: "Since the time of Covid, I have been feeding the birds here at least three days a week. The number of crows that used to come here in the beginning has gradually reduced.”
The voluntary organization Save the Nature works to protect crows and dogs in the Dhaka University area and Suhrawardy Udyan.
Tawhid Bani, the organizer of the organization, said that the number of crows has drastically decreased in recent years. While parks and campuses used to host many crows, their presence has diminished.
Tawhid Bani explained: “Birds like crows are losing their habitat due to the rate at which unplanned development is taking place. Although there is enough food, the number of crows in Dhaka is decreasing mainly due to the lack of habitat.”
Dr Aminul Islam Bhuiyan, a professor in the Zoology department at Dhaka University, identified three main reasons for the decline in crow numbers in the capital: housing and food shortages, unplanned urbanization, and an overabundance of technological installations such as mobile towers. These factors collectively hinder the crow's ability to thrive in its natural environment.
When asked about the potential impact of crow reduction on the environment, Professor Aminul said: "Crows are an important part of nature's cycle, which we call ecology. Other birds, insects, reptiles, mammals, trees, etc., are all part of this cycle. If a space is empty from this cycle, its effect will be intangible. Especially in densely populated cities like Dhaka, it may lead to environmental disaster. The same applies to sparrows, butterflies, or bats.”
