AMTALI, BARGUNA, Dec 31: Biodiversity along Bangladesh's coastal belt is under severe threat.
Natural disasters such as Cyclone Sidr and Aila, coupled with deforestation and human negligence, have devastated the fragile ecosystem.
Large-scale felling of coastal forests has drastically reduced woodland cover, shrinking habitats for wildlife and birds. Rising population pressure has created hostile conditions for many species. Conservationists say nearly 50 species in the region are now on the brink of extinction.
Although laws exist to protect wildlife, enforcement remains weak. The destruction caused by Sidr and Aila inflicted irreparable damage on coastal biodiversity.
Several bird species, including the red kingfisher, golden oriole, cotton pygmy goose and green pigeon - have already vanished from the area. The once-common weaver bird is rarely seen, its intricate nests no longer visible on tall palm or coconut trees. The call of the barn owl has fallen silent, while woodpeckers, kites and hawks are disappearing fast. Vultures, once nesting on towering shimul and chatian trees, have disappeared altogether.
Parrots, too, have declined sharply. Flocks no longer fill the skies. Reports suggest that in the past five decades, around 50 bird species have disappeared from Bangladesh's coastal belt. Experts blame deforestation for human settlement and farming, which has destroyed food sources such as fruit-bearing trees and insects.
The widespread use of pesticides has further disrupted the food chain. Beneficial insects, snakes and frogs have been wiped out. Populations of tree frogs and bullfrogs have plummeted, their croaks barely heard during monsoon.
Egret flocks, once a striking sight before seasonal storms, are now rare. In the Sundarban, many wild animals - including monitor lizards - are vanishing.
Environmentalists warn that indiscriminate deforestation has destroyed habitats and triggered acute food shortages. Combined with ignorance and weak enforcement of conservation laws, these factors are driving biodiversity loss across Bangladesh's coastal belt.
