Can the sambar deer return to Bangladesh?
The return of this magnificent deer may still be possible, but only if we act before the last echoes of their calls fade forever
Once upon a time, deep in the forests of Bangladesh, a giant deer roamed freely. Towering over other wildlife, the sambar deer (Rusa unicolor) was the largest deer species in the country, standing over five feet at the shoulder and weighing up to 300 kg.
It was a true icon of the wild, a majestic presence in the dense jungles of Sylhet, Mymensingh and the Chattogram Hill Tracts. Hunters and forest dwellers told stories of their encounters with these elusive creatures, their large antlers silhouetted against the twilight.
I once met a local politician near Lathitila Forest, a union parishad member who was a proponent of the now-cancelled controversial safari park proposal in the area. When I entered his office, my eyes were immediately drawn to an enormous pair of sambar antlers mounted on the wall — a relic of a species that should have still been roaming those very forests.
"It was hunted by my grandfather," he boasted when asked. But the sight of it was unsettling, a silent reminder of what had been lost.
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Then, just last week, a photograph surfaced from Bandarban — a large sambar stag, its antlers bigger than what I saw in Lathitila, captured and tied up, likely for bushmeat. The image spread quickly among conservation circles, a haunting testament that, while rare, sambar deer are not entirely gone from Bangladesh.
Even in the age of digital surveillance, these ghosts of the forest make occasional appearances. Camera traps in the CHT have, at times, captured fleeting images of sambar deer — grainy yet undeniable proof of their lingering presence.
But are these isolated survivors, clinging to the last scraps of wilderness? Or do they hint at a possibility, however slim, of revival?
Yet, for the most part, the forests that once echoed with their calls have fallen silent. And Bangladesh is on the verge of losing its largest deer species.
How did the sambar deer vanish?
The disappearance of the sambar deer is a tragic yet familiar story — one of deforestation, hunting and expansion of human settlements.
By the early 20th century, British colonial forestry policies had already begun altering Bangladesh's forests. The demand for timber, teak plantations and later, the spread of agriculture, fragmented the natural habitats of large mammals. After independence, unregulated logging, shifting cultivation and population growth further degraded the forests where the sambar deer once thrived.
Unlike the spotted deer (chital) or the smaller barking deer, sambar were trophy animals. Their size and impressive antlers made them prime targets for hunters, both for sport and for their meat.
In the mid-1900s, unregulated hunting severely reduced their numbers. Unlike smaller deer species such as barking deer, sambars were large, making them an easy and highly sought-after target for both sport hunters and poachers.
As forest land was converted into villages and pastures, domestic cattle, goats and buffaloes outcompeted the sambar deer for food. Livestock grazing in forested areas reduced the availability of shrubs and foliage that sambar depended on.
Unlike the spotted deer, which were protected in Sundarbans, the sambar deer never received focused conservation attention in Bangladesh. By the time wildlife protection laws were enforced in the late 20th century, the species had already disappeared from almost all forests.
Sambar in menageries and captivity
Though sambar deer largely vanished from the wild, they have not disappeared entirely from Bangladesh. Occasionally, they turn up in captivity, often under strange circumstances.
Private zoos, safari parks and menageries across the country house a few sambar deer, but their origins are unclear. Some are said to have been imported, while others were reportedly captured from the wild in Myanmar or India.
There have also been instances where private individuals, particularly wealthy landowners, have kept them in personal game farms.
In many cases, the conditions in these facilities are poor, with inadequate space, improper diet and no structured breeding programmes.
The lack of proper genetic records also raises questions about their purity — whether these captive individuals are actually sambar from Bangladesh's original population or from other regions. With no established genetic management or reintroduction programmes, the captive population remains small and largely disconnected from conservation goals.
Prospects of reintroduction
With the global trend of rewilding and species restoration, could Bangladesh bring back the sambar deer? Several factors suggest that a well-planned reintroduction is possible. While most of Bangladesh's lowland forests have disappeared, some protected areas in the CHT and Sylhet still hold potential for restoration. Reintroducing the species would require large-scale habitat restoration.
Bangladesh perhaps lacks a viable wild population to serve as a source for reintroductions. But sambars still exist in northeastern India and Myanmar, meaning genetic stock for reintroduction is available. However, translocation would require international collaboration.
Bangladesh has successfully increased populations of other species, such as the captive breeding of smaller deer in Bangabandhu Safari Park. This could serve as a model for sambar recovery.
Countries like Sri Lanka and India have protected their sambar deer populations effectively, and their success offers lessons. If Bangladesh takes similar steps, sambar could once again roam its forests. Without strict anti-poaching measures and active monitoring, any reintroduced population would likely face the same fate as their predecessors.
Many indigenous communities in the CHT and other forested areas depend on hunting for subsistence. A reintroduction programme would need strong community engagement to ensure the protection of the reintroduced populace.
However, any attempt at reintroducing sambar deer faces serious challenges.
Though some forests remain, they are heavily degraded. Without strict protection and habitat restoration, reintroduced sambar would struggle to survive.
Sambar are large animals, requiring vast ranges and a significant amount of food. If released near human settlements, they could damage crops, leading to conflicts with farmers.
Several factors suggest that a well-planned reintroduction is possible. While most of Bangladesh's lowland forests have disappeared, some protected areas in the CHT and Sylhet still hold potential for restoration. Reintroducing the species would require large-scale habitat restoration.
Without strict law enforcement, poaching could quickly eliminate a newly established population. Wildlife crime networks remain active, and sambar antlers and meat could become targets.
Furthermore, even if Bangladesh wanted to reintroduce sambar, finding individuals from the original genetic lineage would be difficult. Importing sambar from India or Myanmar raises genetic purity concerns: Would they still be considered Bangladesh's sambar?
If Bangladesh seriously considers sambar reintroduction, conservationists and policymakers must first address key ecological and social issues.
Surveying potential habitats to determine where a viable sambar population could be sustained is key. Strengthening anti-poaching laws to protect any reintroduced population, engaging local communities in conservation efforts, and ensuring that they benefit from wildlife rather than seeing it as a threat is also important.
Bangladesh must also establish captive breeding programs in properly managed facilities, with individuals selected for genetic health and suitability for rewilding.
The road ahead
The sambar deer, once a proud denizen of Bangladesh's forests, has been lost to time. But its story does not have to end in extinction.
Despite the odds, conservationists remain hopeful. The sporadic camera trap sightings and recent reports of sambar in remote regions suggest that a small, hidden population may still persist. If protected and given a chance to recover, these individuals could serve as the foundation for a future recovery programme.
In the meantime, Bangladesh must prioritise forest conservation, stricter wildlife protection laws, and public awareness campaigns to ensure that the story of the sambar deer does not become another chapter in the country's long list of vanished wildlife.
The return of this magnificent deer may still be possible, but only if we act before the last echoes of their calls fade forever.
