Baseline survey of Bears in Bangladesh 2008-2010 WILDLIFE TRUST OF BANGLADESH December 2010 AUTHORS Md. Anwarul Islam1,2 Sabir Bin Muzaffar3 Md. Abdul Aziz2,4 Md. Mofizul Kabir2,4 Mayeen Uddin2 Suprio Chakma2 Sayam U Chowdhury2 Md. Abdur Rashid2 Gawsia Wahidunnessa Chowdhury2,5 Samiul Mohsanin2 Israt Jahan2 Samia Saif2 Md. Baharul Hossain1 Dibendu Chakma6 Md. Kamruzzaman4 1Department of Zoology, University of Dhaka, Bangladesh 2Wildlife Trust of Bangladesh (WTB), Cosmos Centre, 69/1 New Circular Road, Malibagh, Dhaka-1217 Bangladesh (Phone: 880-2-01715 256440, Email:
[email protected]) 3Department of Biology, College of Science, United Arab Emirates University 4Department of Zoology, Jahangirnagar University, Savar, Dhaka 5Department of Fisheries and Marine Science, Noakhali Science and Technology University 6Taungya, Rangamati 2 Wildlife Trust of Bangladesh ACKNOWLEDGMENTS We are indeed very grateful to Dr David L Garshelis, IUCN Bear Specialist Group co-chair, Dr Robert Steinmez, IUCN Sun Bear Specialist Group co-chair, and Dr Frederick C Dean, chair, International Association for Bear Research and Management (IBA) for providing all support for this work. Dr Steinmez has kindly visited us and trained our researchers in the field in northeast and southeast. He also attended two training workshops as the resource person. Mr Maung Hla Myant of Taungya, a Rangamati (SE) based NGO, made our field work possible in the hill tracts. Thanks are due to the authority of Finlay Tea Estate who helped us in many ways in the field in NE. We are thankful to all the Forest Department staff who have been very supportive in the field. 3 Wildlife Trust of Bangladesh CONTENTS 1.