Nowadays human wildlife interaction is very common: Mushfiq Ahmed

 

Mushfiq Ahmed, Ecologist, Ecology, Forestry and Biodiversity Division, Center for Environmental and Geographic Information Services (CEGIS)
(A Public Trust under the Ministry of Water Resources, GoB)

Profile: https://www.cegisbd.com/hr_profile?Initial=MAF



Dr. Bibhuti Bhusan Mitra: Firstly, what is your educational background?
Mushfiq Ahmed: I have completed my B.Sc. (Honors) and M.Sc. in Biological Science, specializing in Wildlife Ecology, Management and Conservation Biology from Jahangirnagar University, Bangladesh.

Dr. Bibhuti Bhusan Mitra: As zoologist and wildlife biologist, what do you think, what training courses or extra education are need to improve?
Mushfiq Ahmed: Good question. Besides basic understanding on your subject, you need to have additional knowledge on related matters like knowledge on any supporting tools, techniques, software, methods that could ease your work like data analysis, interpretation, prediction etc. You need to be skillful, smart, up to date on all of the concerned issues of your subject. It is common for any area you are working with. I believe training always facilitates learning and expedites acquisition of the knowledge, skills, and abilities required for effective job performance. So, definitely you need to acquire skills through training to improve yourself. The training course/subject can be chosen related to the work you are working with. 

Dr. Bibhuti Bhusan Mitra: What are you studying right now?
Mushfiq Ahmed: Right at this moment, I am engaged as a wildlife biologist and project leader in the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) study of the SW region of Bangladesh. This study is very first of its kind in the country and quite significant because based on this study findings, GoB will take major development decisions and finalize its planning for that region up to 2041. Since Sundarbans is also within the study area and one of the major concerns, therefore this study is very challenging for me as a wildlife biologist.

Dr. Bibhuti Bhusan Mitra: What types of questions are trying to solve in your research?
Mushfiq Ahmed: Actually, Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) is a tool for assessing the environmental and socio-economic implications of policies, plans and programs (PPPs) and ensuring the integration of these implications into their formulation and implementation. That’s why we are trying to analyze the environmental and socio-economic impacts, existing and likely, of current and future PPPs for development and of mega projects in the South West region. In particular, our study is addressing PPPs covering all relevant sectors including, but not limited to: forestry, fisheries, transportation and communication, industry, power and energy, water resources, shipping, urbanization and tourism.

Dr. Bibhuti Bhusan Mitra: What do you think, what are the challenges in a wildlife field?
Mushfiq Ahmed: Look, you have to face challenges in every sphere of your life. This is so obvious and you cannot avoid it. Our wildlife sector is no exception. In fact, here you should be ready to face such unique problems those are not even exists in other sectors. To me, foremost challenge is the mindset of majority population including government people towards wildlife. They don’t see contribution of wildlife in ecosystem and in their daily life. Historically, generation after generation we are possessing the same negative mentality to wildlife. When you fail to understand the proper value of any of your resources you will not focus to get benefitted from it. My personal opinion is, this negative mindset is the major setback and challenge in this sector till date.

Dr. Bibhuti Bhusan Mitra: What do you think, what are the misconception in wildlife biology?
Mushfiq Ahmed: Do you mean the misconceptions in studying wildlife biology? If so, then the most common misconception among the students are, studying wildlife is a loss since they might not have a wider scope of work like other sectors! It is a big misconception because scopes are there! Gradually, the sector is getting bigger. Most of the study projects are either any kind of feasibility study or EIA/ESIA or other types that require at least one biologist/wildlife biologist. Yes, I do agree the job opportunity is still less compared to other sectors but it is also true that you have to face limited competition to get wildlife related jobs. I would reckon, someone needs to forget about the existing available opportunities rather follow their passion whether they want to work in conserving wildlife or not. Personally, I believe, if you have true passion you will get scope even you could be able to create opportunities for others as well.

Dr. Bibhuti Bhusan Mitra: What are your inspirations to study wildlife?
Mushfiq Ahmed: Honestly, it is the wildlife itself that turned me to study them in detail. But if you want me to name any person, definitely it would be world famous David Attenborough, who had immensely influenced me and still it is going on. Therefore, whenever I got the opportunity to study Zoology in JU, I had decided to acquire knowledge in wildlife biology.

Dr. Bibhuti Bhusan Mitra: Can you tell me about your current research?
Mushfiq Ahmed: I have already mentioned about my recent work on SEA. Besides, I am involved in developing Master Plan for Saint Martin’s Island and other regular studies like EIA and feasibility for different projects of my organization.

Dr. Bibhuti Bhusan Mitra: How do you think about human wildlife interactions?
Mushfiq Ahmed: Nowadays human wildlife interaction is very common. Honestly, I don’t want to term it as interaction rather its fight for existence. This situation is very alarming and the damage is caused to both humans and wildlife. Sadly, in most cases the innocent victim is wildlife. In fact, wildlife is not entering human territory rather it is humans who are destroying wildlife habitat then they are bound to do so. They are cornered and striving to survive but failing. If this continues the future of wildlife in this land hungry country will be more vulnerable. If we truly want to survive we need their existence otherwise we will also perish away. It can happen today, tomorrow or day after tomorrow but it is a must.

Dr. Bibhuti Bhusan Mitra: Can I tell you, you are successful zoologist and wildlife biologist? Why or why not?
Mushfiq Ahmed: Am I successful? No no no.. I’m not in a position or age to judge even my success. At this moment, I’m just in the middle of my career. Still trying to learn many things that might help me towards becoming an effective professional. But if you want me to look back at my almost one and half decade of work in this sector, I feel happy that I was involved with a few remarkable projects which were very unique and set a benchmark for others to work. You may know that I was visionary and intrepid to feature the natural ecosystem, wildlife habitat on TV screen (as a series program) for the first time in the country and help raise awareness of environmental issues globally. So, I’m satisfied with what I’ve achieved so far. But, I don’t bother myself thinking about successful or unsuccessful career issues.

Dr. Bibhuti Bhusan Mitra: Why do you like to work as zoologist and wildlife biologist?
Mushfiq Ahmed: I have acquired some knowledge on this subject matter and I feel I can contribute something in this sector than other arena of work.

Dr. Bibhuti Bhusan Mitra: Sometimes are you disappointed as zoologist and wildlife biologist?
Mushfiq Ahmed: Personally I am optimistic in nature. Even though sometimes I also became disappointed seeing callousness of few posted people in this sector. Especially those people who are having a biological background, grabbing a right position to make good change but doing literally nothing for wildlife. For example, to save a wildlife species when I see we had done some research with great effort and suggested to the right people to take administrative measures which is necessary but they are callous and ignoring our suggestions rather doing the opposite! In such cases, I feel so disappointed and sometimes regret being a wildlife biologist than an administrator.

Dr. Bibhuti Bhusan Mitra: What are your future steps in wildlife Conservation?
Mushfiq Ahmed: Recently, I am working at a policy level instead of working directly in any field research on wildlife. I am planning to contribute more in wildlife related Policy, Plans and Programs through different sectoral SEA studies like my current study.

Dr. Bibhuti Bhusan Mitra: How does your work in wildlife benefit the society?
Mushfiq Ahmed: If you consider the role of wildlife in any given ecosystem then you will be amazed to know how that society is getting benefits from it either actively or passively. For instance, we all know wildlife plays a key role in enhancing the health and fertility of soil by improving its nutrients. So when you conserve a specific wildlife in that area you are actually benefiting the society growing more crops in that very region. Therefore, when you work to conserve any wildlife you’re ultimately working for your society.

Dr. Bibhuti Bhusan Mitra: What is your memorable work? What advice would you give students who are looking to go into field work?
Mushfiq Ahmed: I had to travel a lot for my wildlife related research in different parts of the globe. So many memories have been stored in my mind that I would definitely cherish till my last breath.  However, at this moment one good memory strikes in my mind to tell you that I did help a mother deer giving birth to her baby in Sundarbans. It was a very cold winter morning and we were searching for possible wildlife around to take photographs. Due to fog the visibility was very low. A herd of deer sensed our footsteps and just went far away except for one deer. It surprised us and we tried to move closer to it but it did not move at all but started being stranded. We were even more surprised to notice that it was a female deer which was in the middle of her delivery.  Her eyes were filled with fear and courage at the same time. That look is not forgettable. With great courage she stood up against all the odds to give birth to her child. The father deer stood away with the herd watching us carefully. We tried to give her confidence that we are not hunters and want to support her. Within a few minutes, the mother gave birth to a baby deer in severe pain and cold breeze. I went closer and took the baby in hand. The feeling was amazing. The baby was shivering with cold and I realized I needed to do something very fast otherwise it might not survive due to the trauma it bore from our unwanted presence and delayed process during her mother giving birth. I manage to light some fire and give it heat to warm it up. Kept it within my jacket for sometimes without any protest from her mother. By then the mother’s suspicions about us were dispelled that we were not hunters. The whole experience was amazing and I felt so good and happy to support the newly born. I was one of my most memorable work during field and definitely I would cherish it for long.  

However, to my fellow students of wildlife biology I just want to say, if you truly love wild animals please never stop loving them and never quit hope to work with them. Don’t forget a wise saying, winners never quit because quitters never win. You might not get huge salary or so called secured life but you must feel immense happiness working with them and will get lifelong experienced like I mentioned about deer fawn.

Dr. Bibhuti Bhusan Mitra: Thank you for giving me the time.
Mushfiq Ahmed: Thank You. I have thoroughly enjoyed the whole time. Have a good time.