Of them, 64 species are endangered severely, 86 threatened and 51 are vulnerable.

The figures were revealed at a seminar on 'Wildlife trade in Bangladesh' held in the city on Thursday.

The Wildlife Trust of Bangladesh (WTB) and Bangladesh Forest Department jointly organised the seminar, chaired by Prof Kazi Zaker Husain of zoology department, Dhaka University.

Environment and Forest Secretary Sabihuddin Ahmed was present as chief guest and Chief Conservator of Forests Anwar Faruque as special guest. UNB Chairman Amanullah Khan was the guest speaker.

Rahul Dutta from PEACE Institute, New Delhi, presented a paper on CITES (Convention on nternational Trade in Endangered Species of Wold Fauna and Flora) and wildlife trade in South Asia while Conservator of Forests (wildlife and nature conservation circle) Shahmsur Rahman presented Bangladesh country paper titled 'Wildlife trade in Bangladesh'.

Referring to the 'Red list of threatened animals 2000' published by the IUCN, the experts said that 13 species of wildlife have already become extinct due to people's ignorance and unawareness.

They are one-horned rhinoceros, Javan rhinoceros, Asiatic two-horned rhinoceros, gaur, banteng, wild buffalo, nilgai, swamp deer, hog deer, wolf, pink-headed duck, common peafowl and marsh crocodile.

The experts said about 1.56 billion US dollar worth of wildlife -- live animals, primates, cage birds, reptiles and amphibians and ornamental fishes -- are traded globally in a year in different forms.

The experts said that frog legs, snakes' skin and turtles were exported in different times of 80s and 90s with government permission, but trade of these items stopped following protest from environmentalists and farmers and assessing its increased adverse impact on environment.

At present, only live crabs are being exported in a controlled system maintaining 'crab exporting policy'.

Bangladesh, however, does not import any kind of wildlife for commercial purpose, the seminar was told.

In countryside, a section of people illegally poaches local species and migratory birds and deer, thus intensifying threats to these species.

Chief Executive of Wildlife Trust of Bangladesh Anwarul Islam conducted the seminar.