As part of the conservation process for Asian elephants, Bangladesh has taken a new step to retrieve captive elephants from their current owners and rehabilitate them in the wild. According to the Status of Asian Elephants in Bangladesh report, the country has a mean of only 268 resident elephants, with the status of critically endangered, all residing in the southeastern forest areas of Chittagong, Chittagong Hill Tracts and Cox’s Bazar district. Here, “resident” means those living in the country’s forests, and “nonresident” refers to those frequently visiting from neighboring countries, India and Myanmar. Apart from these, 96 elephants remain in the country in captivity with different owners. Of them, 14 are owned by various government entities, including zoos and safari parks, while the remaining 82 elephants are kept by several private owners. Historically, elephants in Bangladesh have been used for a variety of purposes, including amusement and carrying timbers and goods. Since the use of captive elephants in circuses and as a means of carrying goods is now obsolete due to the availability of machine-driven vehicles, most private owners are using elephants to collect illegal tolls in various localities, including busy market areas. In recent times, the country has seen some incidents of such activities in which at least one elephant has died from heatstroke while working in extreme heat. In 2024, the High Court issued a directive to stop illegal activities involving the use of wild species and cruelty toward them. An elephant walks through a street amid traffic…This article was originally published on Mongabay

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