Wildlife authorities rescue two endangered slow lorises in Mymensingh; traffickers evade arrest
Photo Collected
The Wildlife Crime Control Unit of the Forest Department rescued two endangered slow lorises in Haluaghat, Mymensingh, on Friday during an anti-smuggling operation. Traffickers abandoned the animals and fled the scene before authorities could make any arrests.
The operation took place at approximately 5:30 p.m. near the Haluaghat bus stand, located on the Haluaghat-Mymensingh regional highway. Acting on a tip-off that the primates were being prepared for transport via a passenger bus, a team led by Forest Inspector Asim Mallik conducted a surveillance operation in the area.
Upon realizing they were being monitored, the smugglers left the animals inside a shopping bag near an abandoned building and escaped. With the assistance of local residents, the Forest Department team recovered the bag and discovered the two slow lorises unharmed.
Forest Inspector Asim Mallik stated that intelligence reports suggested the animals were trafficked into Bangladesh from India some time ago. While authorities initially suspected the smugglers intended to bring the animals into Mymensingh city, the route was later identified as heading through Sherpur via Haluaghat. Mallik noted that the proximity of Haluaghat to the international border increases the risk of wildlife trafficking, prompting officials to increase surveillance in the region.
The slow loris, scientifically classified as Nycticebus bengalensis, is listed as an endangered species on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List. Capturing, trading, and smuggling wildlife are criminal offenses under national law. The Forest Department plans to release the rescued lorises into their natural habitat at Lawachara National Park in Sylhet.
0%
0%
0%
0%
