Phantom of the sea …  A leopard eel, also known as honeycomb moray or “chitah bagh machh” in Bangladesh, was recently spotted off Saint Martin’s Island in the Bay of Bengal -- a rare sighting, as little is known about their presence here.

The great egret is a majestic wading bird recognised for its striking white plumage and graceful movements.

Photo: Noble Chakma.HARBINGER OF SPRING.A citrine wagtail perches delicately between blooming water lilies on the tranquil waters of the Muhuri river in Feni -- its vibrant yellow plumage contrasting beautifully with the soft pink petals. Often found in wetlands and marshes across As

Lawachara National Park, a protected forest spanning 1,250 hectares in Moulvibazar district, is home to rich biodiversity and is one of the last remaining strongholds of the critically endangered hoolock gibbons in the country.

Deep in Fatikchhari’s Hazarikhil Wildlife Sanctuary, the elusive grey peacock-pheasant, or Burmese peacock-pheasant, moves through the undergrowth.

A saltwater crocodile enjoys a mud bath in the Sundarbans, regulating its body temperature and preventing overheating.

A silver-breasted broadbill, one of the most elusive yet mesmerising birds in the region, spotted in the Fatikchhari Hazarikhil Sanctuary.

A mother sunbird is feeding insects to her little chicks. She will nurture her babies until they learn to fly, at which point they will leave the nest.

A flock of greylag geese gliding across the waters of Tanguar Haor in Sunamganj’s Tahirpur upazila. This majestic waterfowl, widespread across Europe and Asia,

Over the past decade, nearly half of the country’s wild elephant population has been wiped out.

A mangrove whipray spotted six feet into the Bay of Bengal, off Saint Martin’s Island.

Forest department will continue to monitor and conduct more operations to stop such illegal activities

Every year, when the Gumai Beel bursts into gold with ripe paddy, it is not just the farmers who rejoice.

LIZARDS OF LUCK … A pair of Tokay geckos lounging in a crevice at the Hazarikhil Wildlife Sanctuary in Fatikchhari. Native to Southeast Asia and abundant in Bangladesh, these large, nocturnal reptiles are named for their distinctive “tokay” call, a loud sound heard in the evening.

A red-naped ibis wandering the Char Bagdanga in Chapainawabganj. A striking medium-sized bird native to South Asia, it is found predominantly in India and parts of Southeast Asia.

A rare Asiatic black bear (Ursus thibetanus), also known as the “moon bear,” has been spotted in the dense forest of Satchari National Park in Chunarughat upazila, Habiganj.

Investigations are ongoing to assess damages and ensure compensation as per regulations

Spot-bellied Eagle-Owl spotted in the wilderness of Hazarikhil in Fatikchhari of Chattogram. The majestic bird with a formidable appearance is also known as forest eagle-owl.

A grey-headed swamphen struts through a wetland in Chattogram. Large and striking with vibrant plumages, these birds are found in South and Southeast Asia, typically in wetlands, marshes, and along lakesides, where they can thrive amid dense vegetation and also conceal themselves from predators.

A male scarlet-backed flowerpecker gently perched on a twig in the Hazarikhil Sanctuary in Fatikchhari.