**5. Threats to the forest and wildlife**

Like most other developing countries, Bangladesh is facing different kinds of threats to the forest and its wildlife. With accelerating economic development and the growing population, it is easily understandable that many of these threats will intensify in future leaving a huge challenge for conservation professionals [5, 10, 29]. Some of the major threats are important to discuss which have been summarized below.

## **5.1 Direct threats**

*Forest Degradation Around the World*

**22**

**4.4 Mammals**

**4.3 Birds**

**Figure 6.**

Bangladesh harbors a total of 566 species of birds [16]. A large number of birds (19 species) have already been extinct from the country, and currently 68 species of birds are facing conservation threats of various kinds (**Figure 6**). Among the regionally extinct birds, seven species were forest dwellers, six species were from grasslands and bamboo tickets, and five species were wetland birds. Terrestrial birds are more likely to face greater threats of extinction. Size and weight were another important factor for their extinction. Among extinct birds, 11 species were large sized, e.g., spot-billed pelican (*Pelecanus philippensis*), greater adjutant (*Leptoptilos dubius*), sarus crane (*Antigone antigone*), white-bellied heron (*Ardea insignis*), Indian peafowl (*Pavo cristatus*), and green peafowl (*Pavo muticus*) [16]. Out of the 10 species of critically endangered birds of Bangladesh, eight species are migratory, and other two species are resident. Survival of migratory birds in Bangladesh mostly depends on the health status of the migratory bird habitats. Two species of critically endangered migratory birds, spoon-billed sandpiper (*Calidris pygmaea*) and Indian skimmer (*Rynchops albicollis*), are only found in two isolated coastal sites in southern Bangladesh, and their survival is greatly dependent on the habitat protection [16]. The causes of declining population of critically endangered white-rumped vulture (*Gyps bengalensis*) are mostly related to the use of a lethal

Bangladesh is the home of 127 species of mammals [16], 10 species of primates, 27 species of rodents, and 29 species of bats; the Asian elephant and the Bengal tiger are the most notable species. Forests of Bangladesh are the home of 86 species of mammals, of which 60 species are fully restricted to forests. Eleven species of mammals have already been extinct from the country. The extinct species are mostly large mammals, and principal causes of their extinction were uncontrolled hunting and habitat loss. The existing large mammals of Bangladesh are facing continuous pressure of extinction threats. About 40% mammals of the country are threatened, and 33% are data deficient (**Figure 7**). Nineteen species of mammals are "critically endangered," and many of them are at the brink of extinction, e.g., long-tailed macaque (*Macaca fascicularis*), hog

veterinary drug "diclofenac" in Bangladesh [28].

*The latest threat status of birds in Bangladesh (percent value, N = 566).*
