Rare kalij pheasant spotlighted in Satchhari

A rare sighting of the endangered-looking kalij pheasant in Habiganj’s Satchhari National Park has renewed hopes for Bangladesh’s forest biodiversity, while conservationists warn that habitat loss and hunting continue to threaten the bird’s local population.

Wildlife photographer Anis Sheikh recently photographed an adult male kalij pheasant (Lophura leucomelanos), locally known as Mathura or the “black peacock”, after six years of searching.

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“I have visited Satchhari many times over the last six years in search of the bird, but always returned empty-handed,” Anis said. “I missed it by just 10 minutes on the first day of this trip. The next afternoon, just before returning to Dhaka, I finally saw it. My body was shaking with joy. Such moments rarely come in life.”

He said the shy forest bird foraged briefly along a trail before disappearing into the undergrowth, allowing him to capture a few rare photographs from a safe distance.

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Naturalist Dwijen Sharma had noted that kalij pheasants were once commonly seen in the forests of Sylhet, particularly in Moulvibazar’s Patharia forest.

However, expansion of tea gardens, deforestation and hunting have drastically reduced their numbers, making sightings increasingly uncommon, he said.

Swapan Deb Sajal, director of the Bangladesh Wildlife Service Foundation, said protecting the species requires safeguarding forest habitats and strictly enforcing wildlife protection laws.

“The kalij pheasant is a royal bird of our forests. Conserving it depends on preserving its habitat and preventing hunting,” he said.

The ground-dwelling bird inhabits dense evergreen and semi-evergreen forests, usually remaining hidden in thick undergrowth. It feeds on seeds, fruits, berries, shoots and insects, scratching through leaf litter in search of food. Adult males are recognised by their glossy bluish-black plumage, red facial skin and long, streaked tail.

Satchhari National Park, covering about 243 hectares in Chunarughat upazila, is one of Bangladesh’s richest biodiversity hotspots. It supports more than 100 bird species alongside mammals, reptiles and amphibians, including capped langurs, barking deer, owls and wildcats.

Mehedi Masud, range officer of Satchari, said the photograph is more than a remarkable wildlife record.

“It is an important document of Satchhari’s biodiversity and a reminder of why protecting our forests and wildlife is essential. The park’s biodiversity has become noticeably richer in recent years,” he said.

Conservationists, however, warned that illegal logging, human encroachment, noise pollution and habitat degradation continue to threaten rare wildlife in protected forests. They called for stronger monitoring, greater public awareness and improved habitat protection.

Md Rezaul Karim Chowdhury, divisional forest officer of the Eastern Sundarbans, said the kalij pheasant is currently listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List despite its rarity in Bangladesh. The species is also found in Rajkandi forest in Moulvibazar and is widely distributed across the Himalayan foothills from Pakistan and Nepal to western Thailand. While globally secure, some eastern subspecies face increasing conservation pressure.