City Desk :
Experts have underscored on conservation of beneficial insects, indigenous species of birds, fishes and animals from extinction to maintain ecological balance and revive biodiversity and ecosystems.
“Many useful insects, indigenous birds, animals and sweet water fishes are not being seen due to reduction in forest areas and extinction of water bodies in recent decades,” said Senior Coordinator (Agriculture and Environment) of RDRS Bangladesh Mamunur Rashid.
Some other indigenous species of beneficial insects, birds, fishes and animals are facing a serious threat as their reproduction is being hampered due to adverse impacts of climate change at an unthinkable rate creating imbalance in nature.
“The extinction process still continues due to reduction in forest areas, drying up of water bodies, rivers and tributaries and unsystematic use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, change in soil properties and many other reasons,” Rashid added, reports BSS.
Director of Riverine People and Dean of the Faculty of Arts of Begum Rokeya University Professor Dr. Tuhin Wadud expressed concern over the deteriorating situation in nature due to adverse impacts of climate change.
Many species of migratory birds have visited the country every year during winter since ancient times when an adequate number of water bodies, marshy lands, ponds, canals, forests and hilly sanctuaries remained undisturbed.
However, fewer numbers of migratory birds are visiting char areas, rivers, ponds and other water bodies for a shorter period though their number was very high even three to four decades ago.
“Encroachment of forest lands, felling of trees, drying-up and shrinking of water bodies and lack of proper management and conservation of those are among other reasons behind the situation,” he added.
Deputy Director (Leave Reserved) of the Department of Agricultural Extension at Khamarbari in Dhaka Agriculturist Md. Abu Sayem said the changing climate has caused an imbalance in nature, extinction of beneficial insects and birds and scarcity of animal foods in forests reducing their populations.
As a result of ecological imbalance in nature, animals like elephants are coming out of forests in search of food to plain areas of the Chittagong Hill Tracts, Kurigram, Jamalpur, Sherpur and other areas in the country to have food.
Currently, the utility of cultivable lands has been increased significantly with increased crop intensity to enhance crop productions for meeting food demand of the growing population.
“All lands are under crop cultivation in all seasons now and chemical fertilizers and pesticides are being used indiscriminately causing ecological degradation threatening the existence of useful insects, birds and animals,” Sayem added.
District Fisheries Officer Md. Badruzzaman Manik said reduction in areas of floodplains, open water bodies, breeding and grazing fields and drying- and silting- up of ponds, beels, rivers and tributaries caused extinction of indigenous fishes, insects and birds.
Superintending Engineer of Barind Multipurpose Development Authority for Rangpur Circle Habibur Rahman Khan said the changing climate has affected ecological balance threatening the existence of many useful insects, indigenous birds and sweet water fishes.
Re-excavation of extinct rivers, canals, beels, ponds and other water bodies alongside conserving surface water and massive tree plantation can help conserve beneficial insects, indigenous species of birds and fishes and forest animals.
“We have to take adequate steps right now for maintaining ecological balance through reviving the lost biodiversity and ecosystems in nature for a better future,” Khan added.
