Satchari National Park | |
Iucn Category: | II |
Map: | Bangladesh |
Relief: | 1 |
Location: | Habiganj District, Bangladesh |
Coordinates: | 24.12°N 91.4508°W |
Coords Ref: | [1] |
Area: | 243ha |
Satchari National Park (Bengali: সাতছড়ি জাতীয় উদ্যান) is a national park in Habiganj District, Bangladesh. After the 1974 Wild Life Preservation Act, in 2005 Satchari National Park was built on of land. Literally 'Satchari' in Bengali means 'Seven Streams'. There are seven streams flowing in this jungle, and the name 'Satchari' came from there.[2]
The park is situated in Raghunandan hill, under Paikpara Union, Chunarughat Upazila, Habiganj District, under Sylhet region.[3] It is from the capital city of Bangladesh, Dhaka. There are 9 tea gardens nearby. Satchari tea garden is on the West and Chaklapunji tea garden is on the East. Approximately 24 families of Tipra Tribe are living now (2007) in the Tipra village.
There are approximately 200 and more trees are in Satchari National Park. Shaal (Shorea robusta), Segun (Tectona grandis), Agar, Garjan, Chapalish, Palm, Mehgani, Krishnachur, Dumur (Ficus), Jamrul, Shidha Jarul, Awal, Malekas, Eucalyptus, Akashmoni, Bamboo trees, bet trees (regional name Mutra) are the most common species of trees found there.[4]
Wildlife in this park is rich. Red junglefowl, red-headed trogon, oriental pied hornbill and the range-restricted cachar bulbul are some of them. The critically endangered western hoolock gibbon as well as Phayre's leaf monkey, capped langur, Bengal slow loris, northern pig-tailed macaque and rhesus macaque resides here. Asian black bear and Asian wild dog also resides here in small numbers.
More common species includes barking deer, wild boar, fishing cat, leopard cat, jungle cat, large Indian civet, masked palm civet, common palm civet, yellow-throated marten, crab-eating mongoose, golden jackal, Asiatic brush-tailed porcupine, chinese pangolin and various other species.
Beside the National Forest Department, an NGO named "Nisharga", with their "Nisharga Shahayata Prakalpa", observes the park. Beside the preserving forest they provide eco-tours. The NGO also sells some fancy items there.[4]