Animals in Bangladesh
Bengal Tiger
Panthera tigris tigris
The Bengal tiger is the country’s best known symbol. It lives in the Sundarbans mangroves, moving between mudflats and forest to hunt deer and wild boar. Rangers use zones and timing to reduce conflict, and research with cameras tracks numbers across remote creeks. The tiger’s image appears in school books, sports teams and stamps, linking daily life with the delta’s wildlife.
View details→Wildlife in Bangladesh
Bangladesh is a delta of rivers, mangrove islands and tea hills that are easy to visit from Dhaka, Chattogram and Sylhet. Boat rides in the Sundarbans pass creeks and watchtowers, while Lawachara and Satchari offer short forest trails. Bird hides near wetlands host busy mornings in winter. Along the coast, simple trips reach turtle sites and calm estuaries for dolphin watching.
Most Dangerous Animals in Bangladesh
Wildlife risks in Bangladesh follow habitat. In mangroves the Bengal tiger is the main concern, and saltwater channels also hold large monitor lizards. In hill and plain forests, leopards, dholes and wild boar are present, while Asian elephants are powerful when herds cross tracks. Reticulated pythons and king cobras are rare but present, and bull sharks are possible in rivers and offshore.
Top 10 Animals in Bangladesh
Our Top 10 for Bangladesh highlights five species that people ask about most and that have clear places to see them. Leopard records come from hill forests. The Bengal tiger is linked to managed boat routes in the Sundarbans. Asian elephants move along eastern corridors. Reticulated pythons occur in warm lowland woods, while peregrine falcons use tall buildings and river cliffs in key towns.
Golden Jackal
Canis aureus
In Bangladesh, the golden jackal is found across a broad range of habitats, from the vast floodplains and wetlands of the delta to cultivated fields, village edges, and patches of scrub forest. It is one of the more familiar wild mammals in rural areas and plays a useful role as a scavenger. The Sundarbans mangrove region also supports some presence. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Leopard
Panthera pardus
Leopards are present in Bangladesh primarily in the Chittagong Hill Tracts and in forest areas bordering India and Myanmar. The Sundarbans mangrove delta is not typical leopard habitat, but forested hill zones support a small number of individuals. Rapid deforestation and human encroachment have significantly reduced available habitat, making the leopard one of the more threatened large carnivores in the country.
Asian Elephant
Elephas maximus
Bangladesh holds one of the smallest and most threatened Asian elephant populations in the world, concentrated in the Chittagong Hill Tracts in the southeast. Estimated at around 200 to 300 individuals, these elephants face intense pressure from habitat loss and conflict with farming communities. The population is connected to larger herds across the border in India and Myanmar, making transboundary conservation efforts essential to its survival.
Asiatic Black Bear
Ursus thibetanus
The Asiatic black bear is present in the hilly forests of the Chittagong Hill Tracts in southeastern Bangladesh, the same region that supports a small population of Asian elephants. The population is extremely limited and faces intense pressure from habitat loss driven by agricultural expansion and logging. It is rarely documented due to its nocturnal habits and the difficulty of conducting surveys in remote terrain. Transboundary connectivity with forests in Myanmar and northeastern India is essential for the long-term viability of this population.
Fishing Cat
Prionailurus viverrinus
Bangladesh holds some of the most important fishing cat habitat left in the world. The Sundarbans, the vast mangrove forest shared with India, provides ideal cover and prey. This stocky wild cat wades through tidal channels and scoops fish with a quick paw strike. Wetland loss and poaching remain serious threats, but local conservation efforts in the delta are working to protect what remains of its population.
Langur
Semnopithecus spp.
Langurs are found in the hill forests of southeastern Bangladesh, particularly in the Chittagong Hill Tracts. These slender, long-tailed monkeys feed mainly on leaves but also eat fruit and flowers. They live in troops and move between the trees and the ground. Deforestation for agriculture and settlement has put pressure on their populations, making forest conservation in this region especially important for their survival.
Macaque
Macaca spp.
In Bangladesh, rhesus macaques are the most common species, found in forests, mangroves, and around temples and villages. The Sundarbans mangrove delta supports populations that forage along tidal waterways. They live in large social troops and often raid crops near farmland, which brings them into frequent conflict with local communities. Their adaptability keeps them widespread across the country.
Pangolin
Manis spp.
The Chinese pangolin (Manis pentadactyla) is found in the hilly forests of the Chittagong Hill Tracts in southeastern Bangladesh, one of the country's most biodiverse regions. It forages at night among dense forest undergrowth. Habitat loss from deforestation and poaching for the illegal trade in scales and meat have sharply reduced its numbers. Bangladesh lists it as a protected animal, but monitoring in remote hill districts is limited.
Sun Bear
Helarctos malayanus
The sun bear is the smallest bear in the world, found in the hill forests of southeastern Bangladesh, particularly in the Chittagong Hill Tracts. It has a glossy black coat and a pale crescent patch on its chest that is unique to each individual. It uses its remarkably long tongue to extract honey and insects from trees. Habitat loss puts this Vulnerable species under serious pressure.
Bengal Tiger
Panthera tigris tigris
Bangladesh shelters Bengal tigers almost entirely within the Sundarbans, the world's largest mangrove forest, shared with India. This extraordinary coastal habitat shapes a tiger unlike any other, one fully adapted to swimming between islands and hunting in tidal terrain. Estimates suggest fewer than 200 individuals remain on the Bangladeshi side, making conservation efforts here especially urgent. IUCN status: Endangered.
Red Fox
Vulpes vulpes
The red fox occurs in the drier, open areas of Bangladesh, particularly in the northwest of the country where habitat is less dense than in the tropical river deltas. It favors scrubland, cropland edges, and open woodland, hunting small mammals, birds, and insects. Human pressure on land is high across Bangladesh, making undisturbed habitat increasingly important for the species. Its IUCN status is Least Concern.
Wild Boar
Sus scrofa
Wild boars are found across forested and wetland areas of Bangladesh, including the mangrove forests of the Sundarbans and the hill tracts of the southeast. In the Sundarbans, they form part of the prey base for the resident Bengal tigers. Elsewhere, wild boars frequently raid rice paddies and other crops, putting them in conflict with farming communities, though hunting for meat is limited for religious and cultural reasons.
Clouded Leopard
Neofelis nebulosa
The clouded leopard lives in the hill forests of the Chittagong Hill Tracts in southeastern Bangladesh, where dense subtropical woodland provides the cover it needs. It is rarely photographed and remains one of the country's most elusive mammals. Habitat loss from logging and agriculture has reduced its range significantly. Listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN, its survival in Bangladesh depends on protecting what remains of its forest home.
Bengal Slow Loris
Nycticebus bengalensis
The Bengal slow loris is found in the mixed evergreen forests of Bangladesh, particularly in the Sylhet Division and the Chittagong Hill Tracts. It is the largest slow loris species and is known for producing venom from a gland on its inner arm. Habitat loss and capture for the illegal pet trade have made it a Vulnerable species, with populations in Bangladesh under serious pressure.
Dhole
Cuon alpinus
The dhole is a wild dog found in the forested regions of Bangladesh, including the Chittagong Hill Tracts and areas bordering India. It lives in close packs and hunts cooperatively, targeting deer and other prey. Dholes are rarely seen and face serious threats from habitat loss and shrinking prey populations. The IUCN lists the dhole as Endangered.
Sambar Deer
Rusa unicolor
The sambar deer is found in the Chittagong Hill Tracts and the Sundarbans mangrove forest, one of the largest mangrove systems in the world. These deer are strong swimmers, which suits life in this water-laced landscape perfectly. They face serious pressure from habitat loss and poaching. The IUCN lists the sambar as Vulnerable, and populations in Bangladesh have shrunk considerably over recent decades.
Monitor Lizard
Varanus salvator
The Asian water monitor lives across Bangladesh's wetlands, with important populations in the Sundarbans, the vast mangrove delta shared with India. It is also found along rivers, canals, ponds and floodplains, often near villages, where it scavenges fish waste and carrion. It is protected by law, but it is still hunted in some areas for its skin and meat, and wetland loss reduces its habitat. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Gharial
Gavialis gangeticus
Bangladesh once had gharials in the Padma and Jamuna rivers, but the species was thought to be almost gone. Between 2018 and 2025, fishers and researchers recorded a few adults, yearlings and hatchlings along about 100 kilometers of the Padma in the northwest, a sign that some may still breed. Most were caught by accident in nets. A zoo breeding pair in Rajshahi is part of the recovery plan. IUCN status: Critically Endangered.
King Cobra
Ophiophagus hannah
The king cobra lives in the Sundarbans mangrove forest and in the hill forests of the Chittagong Hill Tracts and Sylhet in the east. It is the longest venomous snake in the country and feeds mainly on other snakes. Encounters with people are rare but can be dangerous given the large amount of venom it delivers in a single bite. Forest clearing has reduced its habitat across Bangladesh. IUCN status: Vulnerable.
Sea Turtle
Chelonia mydas
Green turtles nest in small numbers in Bangladesh, mainly on Saint Martin's Island, the country's only coral island, and on beaches near Cox's Bazar, and they forage in the coastal waters of the Bay of Bengal. Olive ridleys are the most common nesting turtle in the country. Heavy coastal development, fishing nets and tourism on Saint Martin's put serious pressure on green turtles here. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Reticulated Python
Malayopython reticulatus
In Bangladesh, the reticulated python lives in the evergreen hill forests of the east, around Sylhet and the Chittagong Hill Tracts, while the Burmese python is the one found across the rest of the country. It hunts along streams and in dense vegetation, eating mammals and birds. Forest loss and killing out of fear put pressure on its small populations, and in 2024 a Burmese python was even recorded eating one. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Saltwater Crocodile
Crocodylus porosus
In Bangladesh the saltwater crocodile survives mainly in the Sundarbans, the mangrove forest shared with India, where brackish channels and tidal creeks suit it well. The population is small and fragmented, reduced by hunting, habitat loss and shrinking prey. A breeding center at Karamjal raises young crocodiles for release into the delta, and sightings still occur near fishing villages. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Steppe Eagle
Aquila nipalensis
The steppe eagle is a scarce winter visitor to Bangladesh, at the eastern edge of its South Asian wintering range, arriving after crossing the Himalayas from its breeding grounds farther north. It uses open country, river islands, wetland edges and farmland, sometimes near places where food is concentrated. Each sighting is notable for local birdwatchers, and the species' decline has made it rarer here than in the past. IUCN status: Endangered.
Barn Owl
Tyto alba
The barn owl is found across Bangladesh in open farmland, rice paddies, and areas near villages and towns throughout the low-lying delta landscape. It nests in old buildings, hollow trees, and bamboo groves, and hunts rodents at night using its exceptional hearing. In one of the most densely farmed countries in Asia, where rodent damage to rice crops is a significant agricultural problem, the barn owl is genuinely valued by farming communities. It is one of the more commonly encountered owls across the country's open agricultural plains.
Stork
Ciconia ciconia
The white stork is a rare winter visitor to Bangladesh, at the far eastern edge of the range where Central Asian storks spend the northern winter. Single birds or small groups turn up now and then on open farmland, river islands, and wetlands in the north and west of the country, often mixed with other large waterbirds. Any sighting is of real interest to local birdwatchers. IUCN status: Least Concern.
White Wagtail
Motacilla alba
The white wagtail visits Bangladesh as a winter resident, arriving from its breeding grounds further north in Asia. It is widespread across the country, appearing along the banks of the great rivers such as the Padma and Jamuna, as well as rice paddies and open fields. It forages actively on the ground, wagging its tail in the characteristic way that makes it so easy to recognize. Its status is Least Concern.
Peregrine Falcon
Falco peregrinus
In Bangladesh, the peregrine falcon is primarily a winter visitor, arriving from breeding grounds further north and east. It can be spotted along the coastal mudflats of the Sundarbans, the Bay of Bengal shoreline, and around large wetlands and rivers where shorebirds and waterfowl gather in numbers. Its powerful hunting dive is occasionally witnessed by birdwatchers at key wetland sites. Its IUCN status is Least Concern.
Flamingo
Phoenicopteridae (6 species)
The greater flamingo is listed by the IUCN as a resident of Bangladesh, but it is a rare sight here, at the eastern edge of the species' range in South Asia. The few records come mostly from the coastal mudflats and islands of the south, where shallow, salty water offers the small crustaceans and algae flamingos filter from the mud. For birdwatchers in the country, a flamingo is always a special find. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Barracuda
Sphyraena barracuda
In Bangladesh the great barracuda lives in the Bay of Bengal, mostly around St. Martin's Island, the only coral island of the country, at its southern tip near Myanmar. There, coral patches and clear water give it the reef habitat it needs, while the rest of the coast is shaped by the muddy outflow of the Ganges and Brahmaputra. Juveniles can shelter in the mangroves of the coast, and fishers from Teknaf catch it. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Bull Shark
Carcharhinus leucas
In Bangladesh the bull shark lives in the Bay of Bengal and enters the huge delta formed by the Ganges, the Brahmaputra and the Meghna, including the channels of the Sundarbans, the largest mangrove forest in the world, where young sharks find brackish water. Sharks are caught by the country's large artisanal fleet, and markets in Cox's Bazar and Chittagong sell their meat and fins. IUCN status: Vulnerable.
Researched and written by Juan Pablo. Sources: IUCN Red List, scientific literature and regional field guides. Last updated: .