Forest Department rescues Asian black bear and two monkeys from circus in Comilla

The Forest Department has rescued an Asian black bear and two monkeys from a circus exhibit at a trade fair in Jangalia area of ​​Comilla city. The Wildlife Crime Suppression Unit and the Comilla Social Forest Department, which arrived from Dhaka on Saturday afternoon, carried out a drive and rescued these wild animals from the circus.

Comilla Social Forestry Division Range Officer Md. Mazharul Islam confirmed the matter to Prothom Alo at around 8 pm tonight. He said that the Asian black bear is a critically endangered wild animal on the list of IUCN, an alliance of nature conservation organizations. The wild animals captured this afternoon have been taken to Gazipur. The rescued wild animals will be released at Gazipur Safari Park.

Mazarul Islam said, 'A "cottage industry and trade fair" is going on at the Jangalia DOHS grounds. There, wild animals like bears and monkeys are being shown in a circus in exchange for tickets - such posts spread on social media Facebook. Later, Forest Conservator Hossain Mahmud Nishat inquired and confirmed the matter and asked us to take action. Since the Comilla Social Forest Department has no opportunity to conserve wild animals, we rescued these wild animals from that circus with the cooperation of the Wild Animal Crime Suppression Unit of Dhaka.'

Range officer Mazharul said, "A bond has been received from the circus authorities that they will no longer perform wild animal performances. I believe that the circus authorities collected this black bear from the Alikadam area of ​​the Chittagong Hill Tracts at a very young age. I believe that the bear has been kept captive and shown in the circus for about 15 years."

 
Mosharraf Hossain of Comilla has been working on the rescue and conservation of wild animals for a long time. He told Prothom Alo, "These wild animals were being kept in iron cages for years and used in circuses just because they were tempted by food. This is a crime. I think the endangered bear has been kept in cages like this for at least 12 years and used in circuses. It is good to see the bear being freed. The endangered bear is still in a small number in the forests of Sylhet and Chittagong. However, it is not seen in most parts of the country."

Mosharraf Hossain said, 'The circus group "The Rajmuni Circus Bogra" was performing a circus with wild animals at the fair. After learning about the matter yesterday, we volunteers, including people from the forest department, kept watch at night so that the circus authorities could not remove the wild animals. In the meantime, people from the Wildlife Crime Suppression Unit from Dhaka came and conducted an operation and rescued the bear and two monkeys.'

Nargis Sultana, an inspector of the Wildlife Crime Suppression Unit from Dhaka, said that a bond has been received from the Rajmuni Circus authorities. They have promised not to use wild animals in the future. If such allegations come again, a case will be filed against them. She said that the rescued wild animals are being taken to Gazipur Safari Park.

Source: newssource