Porcupine killed in Lawachhara road crash

A rare porcupine was killed in a road crash in Lawachhara forest under Kamalganj upazila of the district early yesterday.

The 15-km-long Kamalganj-Sreemangal road passes through the Lawachhara National Park and vehicles use this road.

Forest department said, this Indian crested porcupine was crushed to death under the wheels of a vehicle while crossing the road.

Anwar Hossain, beat officer of Lawachhara forest, said when they were patrolling, they found the porcupine dead on the road. Its head was smashed with the wheels of a car.

The vehicle that killed the rare animal could not be identified, he said.

He said they often saw this porcupine roaming around the area.

The nocturnal wildlife will be protected if a ban on movement of vehicles inside the forest is implemented, said Anwar.

Anisur Rahman, assistant conservator of wildlife management and nature conservation department in Moulvibazar, said wild animals come out from the jungle at night in search of food. At night, the vehicles run too fast and it sometimes causes death of wildlife.

Anisur further said it is a large rodent, weighing 11 to 18 kg. Its body (from the nose to the base of the tail) measures between 70 to 90 cm with the tail adding an additional 8 to 10 cm. It is round and slow-moving animals. Its scientific name is Hystrix Indica.