A Proposed Safari Park in a Subtropical Forest in Northeastern Bangladesh Will Be Detrimental to Native Biodiversity
Biodiversity in tropical and subtropical forests are at high risk of decline due to rapid anthropogenic development. Planned activities that potentially benefit communities near forests are often undertaken at the expense of forest biodiversity. Recently, the Government of Bangladesh released plans...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2022-05-01
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| Series: | Conservation |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2673-7159/2/2/20 |
| _version_ | 1797488573191028736 |
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| author | Mohammad Ali Reza Khan Enam Ul Haque M. Monirul H. Khan Inam Ahmed Suprio Chakma Habibon Naher Mohammad Abdul Wahed Chowdhury Sharif Ahmed Mukul Sayam U. Chowdhury Shahriar Caesar Rahman M. Tarik Kabir Hasan Arif Rahman Muntasir Akash Mandira Mukutmoni Animesh Ghose Hassan Al-Razi Sabir Bin Muzaffar |
| author_facet | Mohammad Ali Reza Khan Enam Ul Haque M. Monirul H. Khan Inam Ahmed Suprio Chakma Habibon Naher Mohammad Abdul Wahed Chowdhury Sharif Ahmed Mukul Sayam U. Chowdhury Shahriar Caesar Rahman M. Tarik Kabir Hasan Arif Rahman Muntasir Akash Mandira Mukutmoni Animesh Ghose Hassan Al-Razi Sabir Bin Muzaffar |
| author_sort | Mohammad Ali Reza Khan |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Biodiversity in tropical and subtropical forests are at high risk of decline due to rapid anthropogenic development. Planned activities that potentially benefit communities near forests are often undertaken at the expense of forest biodiversity. Recently, the Government of Bangladesh released plans to develop a safari park in Lathitila forest in northeastern Bangladesh. This mixed evergreen, stream-fed, trans-border forest harbors 26 globally threatened species. The proposed plan aims to bring several exotic game animals such as the lion (<i>Panthera leo</i>), spotted hyaena (<i>Crocuta crocuta</i>) and cheetah (<i>Acionyx jubatus</i>) to be maintained in captivity. Additionally, exotic bird aviaries, gardens, a dolphinarium, a marine aquarium exhibit, and a carp pond have been proposed for construction. Here, we (i) summarize some of the key attributes of safari parks and the misconceptions associated with them; (ii) highlight some of the planned development activities of the proposed safari park; (ii) list the threatened species found in the area, and (iii) explain why establishing a park in the area would be detrimental the region’s biodiversity. We urge the government to abandon the plans to develop a safari park and suggest that the area be brought under formal protection for the benefit of biodiversity conservation. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T00:04:14Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-5a0d19360c0640b986045fdf1194352a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2673-7159 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T00:04:14Z |
| publishDate | 2022-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Conservation |
| spelling | doaj.art-5a0d19360c0640b986045fdf1194352a2023-11-23T16:10:27ZengMDPI AGConservation2673-71592022-05-012228629610.3390/conservation2020020A Proposed Safari Park in a Subtropical Forest in Northeastern Bangladesh Will Be Detrimental to Native BiodiversityMohammad Ali Reza Khan0Enam Ul Haque1M. Monirul H. Khan2Inam Ahmed3Suprio Chakma4Habibon Naher5Mohammad Abdul Wahed Chowdhury6Sharif Ahmed Mukul7Sayam U. Chowdhury8Shahriar Caesar Rahman9M. Tarik Kabir10Hasan Arif Rahman11Muntasir Akash12Mandira Mukutmoni13Animesh Ghose14Hassan Al-Razi15Sabir Bin Muzaffar16Dubai Safari, Dubai 92105, United Arab EmiratesBangladesh Bird Club, Dhaka 1206, BangladeshDepartment of Zoology, Jahangirnagar University, Savar 1342, BangladeshThe Business Standard, Dhaka 1000, BangladeshDepartment of Forestry and Environmental Science, Rangmati Science and Technology University, Rangamati 4500, BangladeshDepartment of Zoology, Jagannath University, Dhaka 1100, BangladeshDepartment of Zoology, University of Chittagong, Chattogram 4331, BangladeshTropical Forests and People Research Centre, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs 4556, AustraliaDepartment of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EJ, UKCreative Conservation Alliance, Dhaka 20187, BangladeshSchool of Biological Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang 11800, MalaysiaDepartment of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology, University of Delaware, Newark, NJ 19716, USADepartment of Zoology, University of Dhaka, Dhaka 1000, BangladeshDepartment of Zoology, University of Dhaka, Dhaka 1000, BangladeshForest Research Institute (IRF), Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Rouyn-Noranda, QC J9X 5E4, CanadaLaboratory of Animal Behaviour and Conservation, College of Biology and the Environment, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, ChinaDepartment of Biology, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain 15551, United Arab EmiratesBiodiversity in tropical and subtropical forests are at high risk of decline due to rapid anthropogenic development. Planned activities that potentially benefit communities near forests are often undertaken at the expense of forest biodiversity. Recently, the Government of Bangladesh released plans to develop a safari park in Lathitila forest in northeastern Bangladesh. This mixed evergreen, stream-fed, trans-border forest harbors 26 globally threatened species. The proposed plan aims to bring several exotic game animals such as the lion (<i>Panthera leo</i>), spotted hyaena (<i>Crocuta crocuta</i>) and cheetah (<i>Acionyx jubatus</i>) to be maintained in captivity. Additionally, exotic bird aviaries, gardens, a dolphinarium, a marine aquarium exhibit, and a carp pond have been proposed for construction. Here, we (i) summarize some of the key attributes of safari parks and the misconceptions associated with them; (ii) highlight some of the planned development activities of the proposed safari park; (ii) list the threatened species found in the area, and (iii) explain why establishing a park in the area would be detrimental the region’s biodiversity. We urge the government to abandon the plans to develop a safari park and suggest that the area be brought under formal protection for the benefit of biodiversity conservation.https://www.mdpi.com/2673-7159/2/2/20Lathitila forestBangladeshconservationsafari parkexotic species |
| spellingShingle | Mohammad Ali Reza Khan Enam Ul Haque M. Monirul H. Khan Inam Ahmed Suprio Chakma Habibon Naher Mohammad Abdul Wahed Chowdhury Sharif Ahmed Mukul Sayam U. Chowdhury Shahriar Caesar Rahman M. Tarik Kabir Hasan Arif Rahman Muntasir Akash Mandira Mukutmoni Animesh Ghose Hassan Al-Razi Sabir Bin Muzaffar A Proposed Safari Park in a Subtropical Forest in Northeastern Bangladesh Will Be Detrimental to Native Biodiversity Conservation Lathitila forest Bangladesh conservation safari park exotic species |
| title | A Proposed Safari Park in a Subtropical Forest in Northeastern Bangladesh Will Be Detrimental to Native Biodiversity |
| title_full | A Proposed Safari Park in a Subtropical Forest in Northeastern Bangladesh Will Be Detrimental to Native Biodiversity |
| title_fullStr | A Proposed Safari Park in a Subtropical Forest in Northeastern Bangladesh Will Be Detrimental to Native Biodiversity |
| title_full_unstemmed | A Proposed Safari Park in a Subtropical Forest in Northeastern Bangladesh Will Be Detrimental to Native Biodiversity |
| title_short | A Proposed Safari Park in a Subtropical Forest in Northeastern Bangladesh Will Be Detrimental to Native Biodiversity |
| title_sort | proposed safari park in a subtropical forest in northeastern bangladesh will be detrimental to native biodiversity |
| topic | Lathitila forest Bangladesh conservation safari park exotic species |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2673-7159/2/2/20 |
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