A leopard has been captured on a camera in the Sangu-Matamuhuri Reserve Forest of the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT). The image of the animal was recently captured by a camera set up by the non-governmental organization Creative Conservation Alliance (CCA).
The leopard was photographed in broad daylight, and two images were posted on Facebook by CCA on Wednesday night. The photos show the leopard emerging from the forest vegetation and standing in an open area.
Shahriar Caesar Rahman, CEO of CCA, stated that the images confirm the continued existence of leopards in the forest, although their exact number remains unknown. CCA had previously captured an image of a leopard in the same area back in 2015.
Saurav Chakma, team leader of CCA’s ongoing camera trapping project, said that the cameras had been placed primarily to monitor sun bears and Asiatic black bears for about a year. However, they unexpectedly captured images of the leopard, which he described as “photographic evidence.”
Wildlife expert Professor Dr. M. Monirul H. Khan remarked that the presence of leopards is an encouraging sign. However, he emphasized the need to strengthen forest conservation efforts to preserve the species, as poaching and deforestation have significantly reduced their population in the past.
Experts believe the leopard is not a cross-border migrant but rather a native species living within its local habitat.
