TITLE:
Mammalian Fauna and Conservational Issues of the Baraiyadhala National Park in Chittagong, Bangladesh
AUTHORS:
Rezaul Karim, Farid Ahsan
KEYWORDS:
Mammals, Status, Line Transect Method, Baraiyadhala National Park, Threats
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Forestry,
Vol.6 No.2,
April
18,
2016
ABSTRACT: Mammals were studied at
the Baraiyadhala National Park, Chittagong from August 2012 to July 2013.
Twenty nine species of mammals belonging to 26 genera, 17 families and 9 orders
were recorded. Of the recorded species, 2 were primates, 10 rodents, 1
lagomorph (hare), 5 chiropterans (bats), 1 manid, 7 carnivores and 3 ungulates.
Rodentia appeared as the largest family contained 10 speices. The overall
mammalian population density was 239.12/km2. Irrawardy squirrel (Callosciurus pygerythrus) scored the
highest density (112.97/km2) and several species attained the lowest (1/km2 each). Local status
(relative abundance) of mammals assessed where 15 (51.72%) species were
rare, and according to National Conservation Status, 13 (44.82%) were remarked
as threatened species of that area. There were some major threats to the park
such as forest fire, encroachment of forest and forest edges by both tribal and
landless people, illegal exploitation of forest resources, grazing of livestock
and unavailable water reservoirs.