COUNTRY REPORT OF BANGLADESH ON

CITES Asian Snake Trade Workshop

Mohammad Shamsul Azam Deputy Conservator of Forest Wildlife and Nature Conservation Circle Forest Department
Sheikh Shoebul Alam Deputy Secretary Ministry of Environment and Forest Md. Rafiquzzaman Shah Assistant Conservator of Forest Forest Department

Bangladesh

Guangzhou, China, 11 - 14 April 2011

BANGLADESH

Area Population Climate Temperature (average) Annual rainfall

147,570 km2 164.4 million Tropical Monsoon Maximum 340 C Minimum 110 C Minimum 1100 mm Maximum 5690 mm

Biology and Conservation

Status of wild population Total nos. of snake species 98 Total nos. of venomous snake species 32 Total nos. of non-venomous snake species 66 Total nos. of threatened snake species(IUCN 2000)28 Most venomous snake species Cobra and Krait (5 species of Krait and 2 species of Cobra)

Snake research program

Collection, rearing and extraction of venom of Kraits of Bangladesh
Distribution of Kraits of Bangladesh Traditional snake bite treatment by healers (Ojhas) Post treatment impact of snake bite Captive breeding of Kraits and Cobras.
Department of Zoology, University of Chittagong Chittagong, Bangladesh

Distribution of snake species among the families

Family Typhlopidae Pythonidae Genus 2 1 Species (%) 4 (4.2) 2 (2.1)

Boidae
Acrochordidae Colubridae Elapidae Hydrophidae

2
1 26 5 6

2 (2.1)
1 (1.0) 57 (57.3) 10 (10.4) 15 (15.6)

Viperidae

7 (7.3)

No. of poisonous snakes of Bangladesh:32 nos

Family: Elapidae(10 nos)Most important ones are: Bungarus caeruleus Common krait (Kal-keutey) Naja kaouthia Monocellate cobra (Gokhra)EN Naja naja Binocellate/Spectacled cobra (Khoia gokhra)EN Ophiophagus hannah King cobra (Padmagokhra)EN Bungarus fasciatus Banded krait (Shankhini shap)EN Family: Hydrophidae(15 nos) Important ones are: Laticauda laticaudata Common sea krait (Baloyjukto uvochor shap) L. colubrina Yellow-lipped sea snake (Colubrine uvochor shap) Enhydrina schistosa Hook-nosed sea snake (Barshinak samudrik shap) Family: Viperidae.no-7 Important ones are:

Daboia russelii Russells viper (Chandro-bora) CR Trimeresurus albolabris Green pit viper (Sabuj bora) EN T. erythrurus Spot-tailed pit viper (Tila-leji sabuj bora) EN

List of some Endengered snakes of Banglades

English Name Rock python Reticulated Python GoldenFlying Snake Common Trinket Snake Copperhead Trinket Snake Green Keelback Snake Common Krait Common Krait Binocellate Cobra King Cobra Spot-tailed Pit viper Green Pit Viper Russells Viper EN- Endangered, Scientific name Local Status EN CR EN EN EN EN EN EN EN EN EN EN CR python molurus Python reticulata Crysopelea omate Elaphe helena Elaphe radiata Macropisthodon plumbicolor Bungarus caeruleus B.fasciatus Naja naja Ophiophagus hannah Trimeresurus erythrurus T. gramineus Vipera russelli CR-Critically Endangered

Legal Management and Enforcement:

Wildlife is protected legally by Bangladesh Wildlife (Preservation) (Amendment) Act- 1974 which applicable to all over the country
First Schedule : No Snake species is listed.

Second Schedule : Reptiles (snakes) may be hunted with special permit ( Problem one )
Third Schedule : Protected Snakes 4 species:
Rock Python, Reticulated Python, Diards Worm snake & Hooknosed Sea Snake.

Trade controls and enforcement (authorization and monitoring of legal trade scale, nature, routes and effects of illegal trade)

Agencies responsible for enforcement of legislations

Primarily Forest Department on request Customs & Excise Department Department of Police Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) (Para-military)
Government Agencies for controlling of Wildlife Trade in Bangladesh. Forest Department Chief Controller of Import & Export Customs & Excise Department

CITES and Bangladesh

Signed in the year 1981
Management Authority is Chief Conservator of Forest

Asst. Management Authority is Conservator of Forest, Wildlife & Nature Conservation Circle, Bangladesh.
Scientific Authority is Wildlife Advisory Board.

Key species and commodities traded

Year 1996 1996 1997 1998 1998 No of skin 3,000 pcs 10,000 pcs 10,000 pcs 6,000 pcs 6,000 pcs Species Rat snake(Ptyas mucosus) Rat snake(Ptyas mucosus) Rat snake(Ptyas mucosus) Rat snake(Ptyas mucosus) Rat snake(Ptyas mucosus) Destination Italy Italy Italy Italy Italy

From 1999 CITES Export Permit For Export of Snake Skin Is Not Being Issued

Species listed in the CITES Appendix. Valid from 14 October 2010

Appendix- I Appendix- II Boidae: Boas Boidae spp. (Except the species included in Appendix I) Pythonidae : Pythons Pythonidae spp. (Except the subspecies included in Appendix-I) Colubridae Indian Rat Snake (Ptyas mucosus)

Elapidae : Cobras 1. Monocellate Cobra (Naja kaouthia) 2. Binocellate Cobra (Naja naja) 3. King Cobra (Ophiophagus hannah)

Examples of good practice in ensuring legal, sustainable and traceable trade and trade
Commercial snake farming is banned by the MoEF.

Proposed wildlife conservation act 2010 emphasis is given to save the serpentines declared as protected animals
A regional (Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Bhutan) project titled Strengthening Regional Co-operation for Wildlife Project 1. Creation of wildlife Center for capacity building, research, education and monitor wildlife and Protected Area management. 2. Establishment of SA-WEN (South Asian Wildlife Enforcement Network) to stop illegal hunting ,poaching and trade of wildlife.

3. Formation of wildlife crime control unit (WCCU) 4 .Transfer of seized live wild animals for releasing in their original habitat for their survival. 5. Conservation awareness among snake charmer
The WCCU is to be established with responsibilities

for forensic, quarantine, legal support and CITES compliance.

Thank you
for patience hearing