Amid the hustle and bustle of daily life, it is exciting to hear that rare species of animals and plants are still making a home right here in Bangladesh.
Researchers recently discovered a couple of rare species of birds and a particularly rare breed of butterfly within forest reserves. The birds – the Slender Billed Gull and the Red Phalarope – were spotted in Bangladesh for the first time ever, while the Jungle Glory butterfly was last seen around 132 years ago.
This is encouraging news, and helps to demonstrate the diversity of our country’s ecology.
In the light of a new World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) report, which states that the number of wild animals all over the world, across land, rivers, and seas, has halved in the past 40 years, the government needs to ensure that wildlife conservation and environmental protection remain high on the agenda.
Most of the reasons behind the steep decline in the number of animals are clearly man-made and reflect changes in the global climate.
As a nation undergoing rapid industrialisation and urbanisation, we must not lose sight of the value of integrating environmental goals into our future growth.
For one thing, people need places of calm and natural beauty for reflection and relaxation. Sanctuary spots for wildlife are also points of attraction that can generate new opportunities for our tourism industry.
Everyone can benefit from more effort to preserve and enhance our country’s biodiversity and natural environment.
