Urban sprawl forces venomous cobras into dhaka neighborhoods as natural habitats disappear

Bangladesh’s rapidly expanding capital city is witnessing an alarming trend: venomous cobras are increasingly appearing in residential neighborhoods as unplanned urbanization destroys their natural habitats. The Bangladesh Animal Welfare Association recently rescued two adult monocled cobras along with seven young snakes and 17 eggs from a Dhaka residential area in November, following the rescue of a spectacled cobra from a city garden in October.

The scale of the problem is significant. Government and private agencies have rescued 351 snakes from densely populated areas between January and November this year, with most incidents occurring in and around Dhaka. This surge has understandably heightened anxiety among city residents who are encountering these potentially dangerous reptiles in their neighborhoods.

Bangladesh is home to 89 snake species, with 30% being venomous. Traditionally, these snakes inhabited forests, wetlands, and rural areas, with only minimal presence in urban environments. However, experts warn that excessive and poorly planned urban development is fundamentally altering this dynamic. As waterbodies shrink and natural vegetation disappears to make way for buildings and infrastructure, snakes are losing their traditional habitats and being forced into human-populated areas.

Md Sohel Rana, a herpetologist at the Bangladesh Forest Department’s Wildlife Centre in Gazipur, points to reduced waterbodies, deforestation, industrialization, and urbanization as key factors driving this concerning trend. The situation highlights the broader environmental consequences of rapid urban expansion without adequate consideration for wildlife conservation and habitat preservation.