The Patharia Hills Reserve Forest, stretching across Juri and Barlekha upazilas in Moulvibazar, is the only forest in Sylhet Division still home to wild elephants. Once inhabited by several elephants, the forest’s Lathitila range now shelters only three remaining wild female elephants struggling to survive amid challenging conditions.
The Forest Department has initiated efforts to protect these last three elephants, which are at serious risk of extinction. Experts warn that the absence of a male elephant in the forest has halted natural breeding, putting the species’ survival in jeopardy. Without reproduction, the elephants could soon disappear from the forest entirely.
To address the issue, a specialized technical committee has visited Lathitila to assess the feasibility of relocating a male elephant from Gazipur Safari Park or another suitable location for breeding and rehabilitation purposes. The committee, formed under the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change and supervised by the Chief Conservator of Forests, visited the area from September 6 to 8.
During the three-day visit, the committee evaluated the forest’s suitability for elephant rehabilitation, including its infrastructure, food availability, and security measures. A discussion meeting was also held with local forest guards on wildlife conservation. Among the experts present was Dr. Mohammad Ali Reza Khan, a renowned wildlife specialist, former principal of Dubai Safari Park, and former professor of zoology at the University of Dhaka.
According to the Forest Department and local sources, the Lathitila forest beat covers 5,631 hectares within the Patharia Hills Reserve Forest under the Juri Forest Range of the Sylhet Forest Division, located about 60 kilometers northeast of Moulvibazar. The latest survey in 2015 estimated the total area of the reserve forest at 80 square kilometers, of which Lathitila spans about 20 square kilometers.
Abul Kalam, Divisional Forest Officer of the Wildlife Management and Nature Conservation Division in Moulvibazar, confirmed that under the leadership of Dr. Ali Reza Khan, the specialized committee is working to preserve the remaining elephants of Lathitila.
Professor Monirul H. Khan of Jahangirnagar University’s Department of Zoology said the elephants in Lathitila are still in good health but face a critical threat due to the lack of a male counterpart. “Without a male elephant, natural reproduction is impossible. Over time, these elephants will gradually vanish,” he warned.
