Fauna of Bangladesh

Bangladesh's wide variety of ecological conditions, encompassing the long sea coast, numerous rivers and their tributaries, lakes, haors, baors, ponds and other forms of wetlands, lowland evergreen forests of tropical nature, semi-evergreen forest, hill forests, moist deciduous forests, swamps, and flat lands with tall grasses, has ensured the vast diversity of species found in the country.^[2][3] However, the increasing population, unplanned urbanization and expansion of agriculture and industry have been significantly affecting the ecological structure of Bangladesh, leaving several species extinct and many others endangered.^[4]

Invertebrates

The invertebrate fauna so far recorded in Bangladesh comprises about 1,000 species. 18 species of bees have been discovered. Most of them are

There are a total of 35 species of scarab dung beetles found under 8 genera. The most common genus is Onthophagus. Another 30 species of leaf-eating scarabeids are also found. The ladybirds includes about 97 species, 80 of which are beneficial. 20 species of fireflies have also been discovered in the country.^[5]

The most common indoor

The vertebrate fauna includes about 1,600 species. Fishes hold the largest number of species among them. Of the 708 species of fishes, 442 are marine and the rests are of fresh and brackish waters. The marine fishes are split into 18 orders and 123 families. Their species include 56 of cartilaginous fishes and 386 of bony fishes. The 266 species of inland fishes belong to 61 families, of which Cyprinidae is the largest, having 61 species. There are also 55 species of catfishes found in the fresh waters of Bangladesh.^[13][14]

The amphibians in Bangladesh include only the species of the order Anura. From the 22 amphibian species, 8 are recognized as threatened.^[14] The number of reptiles species found is 126 which includes 109 inland and 17 marine species. From the 109 inland reptiles, 2 are crocodilians, 21 turtles and tortoises, 18 lizards, and 67 snakes. The marine reptiles comprise 12 snakes and 5 turtles.^[15]

There are 628 species of birds found in Bangladesh under 16 orders and 67 families, including 276 passerines. Resident species total 388 (including 171 passerines) under 16 orders and 60 families, while the remaining 240 species (including 105 passerines) under 10 orders and 33 families are migratory.^[16] The mammals of Bangladesh comprise 110 species of inland mammals under 12 orders and 35 families, and three species of marine mammals only from the order Cetacea.^[17]

Conservation efforts

So far a number of creatures have disappeared completely from the country and a further 201 species are threatened. The

Olive ridley sea turtles nest on the shores of Bangladesh, where they are threatened by marine plastic pollution.^[19]

Gallery

• 
  The Bengal tiger is the national symbol of Bangladesh
• 
  Indian leopards can be found in the Chittagong Hill Tracts of Bangladesh
• 
  Wild Indian elephants can be seen in hilly areas of Bangladesh
• 
  Hoolock gibbon in Bangladesh
• 
  The saltwater crocodile is the largest of all living reptiles
• 
  Chital deer are widely seen in Sundarbans and other mangrove forests
• 
  Clouded leopards can be found in the southeastern part
• 
  Python reticulatus

  is the world's longest snake and longest reptile
• 
  The king cobra is the world's longest venomous snake^[20]
• 
  Great hornbill
• 
  Rose-ringed parakeet
• 
  Capped langur at Lawachara National Park
• 
  Lesser adjutant
• 
  Masked finfoot, a beautiful bird found in mangrove forests.
• 
  Binturong
• 
  Bengal fox
• 
  The

  water monitor it is the world's second-heaviest lizard, after the Komodo dragon.^[21]
• 
  Asian golden cat
• 
  Sun bears can be found in the Chittagong Hill Tracts
• 
  The gaur the largest extant bovine, is native to parts of South Asia and most of Southeast Asia.
• 
  Sambar deer
• 
  Arakan forest turtle
• 
  Mugger crocodile
• 
  Dolphins in Al Bandar bay

See also

• List of birds of Bangladesh
• List of butterflies of Bangladesh
• List of fishes in Bangladesh
• List of mammals of Bangladesh

References