Rescued wildlife released in Rajshahi woods

Some 339 wild birds, fishes and reptiles rescued from poachers and illegal wildlife traders last week were released in the woods behind Rajshahi divisional commissioner's residence in Rajshahi city yesterday.

Divisional Commissioner Helauddin Ahmed released the 76 little egrets, nine pond herons, 160 finches, six Common Moorhens, nine Purple Moorhens, 12 doves, 65 eels and two turtles in the untapped vegetation growing on some four acres of land, which also contains two ponds.

Patrol teams of Wildlife Management and Nature Conservation Division, Rajshahi under Bangladesh Forest Department had conducted the drives in Bogra, Gaibandha, Naogaon, Sirajganj, Panchagarh, Natore and Pabna, said Divisional Forest Officer Mollah Rezaul Karim.

Of the 21 persons arrested, five were either jailed or fined by mobile courts while the rest released after giving undertakings on not repeating the offence