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Flora and Faun

Like most of the northern flatlands of the subcontinent, Bangladesh both subtropical and tropical. This has given rise to a great variety of flora and fauna. Flora 
About 10% of Bangladesh is still forested. Half of the remaining forest is in the Chittagong Hill Tracts and a further quarter in the Sundarbans, with the rest scattered in small pockets throughout the country.The forest fall distinctly into three regional varieties: the forests of the tidal zones along the coast, often mangrove but something hardwood, in much of the Sundarbans; the forest of Sal (hardwood) trees around Dhaka, Tangail and Mymensing; and the upland forest of tropical and sub-tropical evergreens in the Chittagong Hill Tracts and parts of Sylhet.  Even away from the forests, Bangladesh is a land of trees. Lining the old Trunk Road in the west are huge rain trees, and every village is an arboreal oasis, often with spectacular banyan or oshot trees. The red silk-cotton or kapok tree is early spotted throughout the countryside in February and March, when it loses its leaves and sprouts a myriad of red blossoms. Teak was introduced into the hill Tracts last century, and the quality approaches that of Myanmar, it’s much better than Indian teak. Given that half the country is located in the tropics, flowering plants make up an integral part of the beauty of Bangladesh. Each season produces its special variety of flowers. Among them, the prolific water hyacinth flourishes. Its carpet of thick green leaves and blue flowers gives the impression that solid ground lies underneath. Other decorative plants which grow easily are jasmine, water lily, rose, hibiscus, bougainvillea, magnolia, and incredible diversity of wild orchids in the forested areas. Fauna 
Bangladesh is home to the royal Bengali tiger and others of the cat family such as leopards and the smaller jungle cat. Tigers are almost exclusively confined to the Sundarbans, but their smaller relations prey on domestic animals all over the country. There are three varieties of civet, including the large Indian civet which is now listed as an endangered species. Other large animals include Asiatic elephants (mostly migratory herds from Bihar), a few black bears in Chittagong Division, wild pigs and deer. Monkeys, lingers, gibbons (the only ape on the subcontinent), otters and mongooses are some of the smaller animals. There were once wild buffalo and rhinoceros, but all become extinct this century.Reptiles include the sea tortoise, mud turtle, river tortoise, pythons, crocodiles and a variety of poisonous snakes. The voluble gecko lizard is appropriately, known as tiktiki. Marine life includes a wide variety of both river and sea fish.