Dhaka, 04 March 2007 (IUCN) –IUCN Bangladesh Country Office has organised a press conference at FEJB (Forum of Environmental Journalists of Bangladesh) auditorium in Dhaka, Bangladesh today to share results of the recent bird census conducted in Tanguar Haor. A team of experts lead by Dr. Ronald Halder, an eminent bird specialist of the country, conducted the waterfowl census.

Dr. Ronald Halder presented an astonishing collection of pictures taken from the Tanguar Haor. In his speech, he said that the number of resident birds is increasing in Tanguar Haor due to timely measures taken by the government through District Administration of Sunamganj which started from 2003. The number of resident but rare birds like Darter (Anhinga melanogaster), Purple Heron (Ardea purpurea) and Spot-billed Duck (Anas poecilorhyncha) has increased significantly. At least seven Darters were spotted. Darter is a Vulnerable bird in Bangladesh according to the IUCN published Red Data Book. At least thirty pairs of Purple Heron and nearly one thousand pair of Spot-billed Duck were counted in the census. The number of these birds counted in recent census was comparatively higher than the census conducted in the previous years. Similarly, large congregations of egrets and cormorants were seen in the beels of Tanguar Haor. The number of migratory birds counted in the census was no less than 140,000.

Dr. Ainun Nishat, Country Representative, IUCN Bangladesh said in the conference that the resident birds could be taken as indicator for health of the wetland. Positive increase of resident birds indicates the improvement of the health of Tanguar Haor. Tanguar Haor was declared as the second Ramsar site of Bangladesh in 2002. In 2003, the Government has put in place with its own resources and under the direction of the Deputy Commissioner, Sunamganj District, a protection force consisting of District Magistrates, Police Officers and Border patrol officers, to protect its bounty of natural resources from overexploitation.

Other team members of the census Dr. Monirul Khan, Mr. Sirajul Hossain, Capt. Enam Talukder also spoken on the birds of Tanguar Haor and shared their observations on the census they conducted. They all highly appreciated the dedication of the District Administration in protecting Tanguar Haor resources and opined that the protection was the key to success for rebounding of the resident birds in Tanguar Haor.

Mr. Md. Jafar Siddique, Project Director of CWBMP and former Deputy Commissioner of Sunamganj told the audience about his three years of experience as the head of protection force for Tanguar Haor. He agreed on the findings of the census team and shared his personal observations. He recently fielded a biodiversity survey in Hakaluki Haor and spotted only three Purple Swamp Heron. Compared to the situation in Hakaluki haor, he mentioned healthy number of Purple Swamp Heron indicated more pristine condition of Tanguar Haor. He puts emphasis on the continuation of protection measures in Tangur Haor. He urged that only Government measures is not enough and it requires to include the community in a long term management system for Tanguar Haor.

In this connection, Dr. Nishat informed the audience that very recently the Ministry of Environment and Forest with funding from SDC has launched a project to develop a co-management system for the Tanguar Haor. IUCN Bangladesh Country office together with its partners like Intercooperation (IC), CNRS, CFSD, GUS and BELA will implement this project.

Regarding the bird census, the project will use the waterfowl census data conducted by the team of experts to monitor changes in Tanguar Haor. The census data is also used by the Asian Waterfowl Census programme of the Birdlife International, an UK based conservation organization.

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Notes to editors 

For more information or to set up interviews, please contact:

• Mahbubur Rahman Masum , IUCN Bangladesh Comminication Officer, Tel: +880 2 989 0395; Fax: +880 2 989 2854;
  masumiucnbd.org; Web: http://www.iucnbd.org/

Photos are available at http://www.iucnbd.org/photogallery.html

More information available at: http://www.iucnbd.org/

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