IUCN, the International Union for Conservation of Nature

The Species Conservation programme in Bangladesh has attached priority to the national Biodiversity Action Plan formulation and its effective implementation. Specifically, monitoring and conservation of wildlife – both at population and species level to be supported; equally important will be its support to a comprehensive system of parks and protected areas in Bangladesh. In a bid to conserve agro-biodiversity, concerned policies, legislation and practices will be inventoried, studied and analyzed in depth and the environment friendly modes demonstrated, effectuated and advocated.

GOAL:

Ecosystems, habitats and species conserved, sustainably utilized and benefits shared.

OBJECTIVES:

Species Conservation and Protected Areas unit has the following objectives to meet:

Species conservation: Awareness, support and understanding are increased (built) for improved decision making and practice at all levels, for species conservation.

Protected area (PA): An ecologically representative and financially viable Protected Area system is established that takes account of multiple management objectives, connectivity, equitable distribution of costs and benefits, and the participation of stakeholders.

Agro-biodiversity: Policies, legislation and practices to find a sustainable agriculture for the country.

KEY AREA OF INTERVENTION

Species conservation and wildlife protection

Biodiversity and livelihood

Protected Area (PA) management

Agro-biodiversity and medicinal plants

ECA management

Bio-monitoring using Indicator species

Alien Invasive species (AIS)

MAJOR ACHIEVEMENT

Preparation of the Red Book of Threatened Animals of Bangladesh

Delineation of the Bio-ecological Zones of Bangladesh

BNBG Network establishment

Conducted wildlife re-introduction feasibility study

Elephant habitat assessment, Population census and Elephant-human conflict assessment

Elephant management guideline preparation and sharing the same with the concerned agencies

Publication on Bengal Tiger in the Bangladesh Sundarbans

Publication on Conservation of Asian Elephants in Bangladesh

Publication on Butterflies of Bangladesh -an annotated checklist

Helped GoB and Capacity enhanced in MEAs (pre-SBSTTA, Nation Reports to CBD, Ramsar, CITIES)

In-house expert input provided to SBCP, Fish Pass, Climate Change and other projects

FUTURE DIRECTIONS

Assessment of biological resources including inventory of species, community participation, effective institutional mechanism

Ecologically representative PA management system

Community participation in PA management system

Eco-tourism for livelihood improvement and biodiversity conservation

Policies, legislations and best practices for biodiversity conservation

Trade and biodiversity (ABS, Bio-prospecting)

Awareness at all levels i.e. community, regional and national level

For further information, please contact:

Haseeb Md. Irfanullah, PhD
haseeb@iucnbd.org