I am walking on a completely unknown path. This rocky knee-deep path is really different. The rainy season has just ended. All around is now dark green. The occasional sound of spring water flowing down a high mountain path. It will take about four hours to go all the way. Strong desire to go to Patra Para. This is the last neighborhood of Bangladesh. There are only seven houses on this hill. Then the border of Myanmar. I did not hear anything but the sound of nature on the way, I did not notice any human presence. It seems that we are breaking the loneliness of this mountain forest. Our journey started from Paharbhanga at the end of Matamuhuri river. The village was inside the Sangu Sanctuary.
The time was the last week of October last year. An unknown area. It goes without saying that there is no movement of common people. I think every moment, realizing this, I met a rare animal. Mountain wild birds in the trees. Seeing a green bora snake in the middle of the path, this suspicion increased. I saw several species of chameleons. About 18 meters above the steep hill I saw the footprints of the bear. In such a place, you can find unfamiliar animals.
I spent about a week researching wildlife in this area of Sangu-Matamuhuri. Throughout the trip I was looking for an animal in my mind. I also asked some local people about the animal. Many reported hearing his call. The hill people named it Tepikui because it barked like a dog from inside the rocks. The local Murangra said Thriapranquieu. However, the animal is also known as water mole. The English name is North-Eastern Water Skink and the scientific name is Tropidophores asamensis.
During the British period, a specimen of this water mole called Tepikui was collected from Habiganj in Sylhet around 1912. No trace of this animal has been found since then. However, wildlife researchers had the idea that the mole still survives in this country. Indian reptile researcher Abhijit Das mentioned in his 2009 research paper that this animal has been seen only three times in Assam and Mizoram areas of India. We also had the idea that it still survives in the Sylhet region. Suddenly, in 2013, a colleague, the late Tania Khan, found a tapioca in Khadimnagar National Park in Moulvibazar. Several researchers then took pictures of the animal from the Sangu-Matamuhuri and hilly areas and reported its existence.
I have always had a strong desire to see Tepikui. According to the IUCN Bangladesh Red List, Tepikui is in crisis. I have been trying to get his information for a long time as the coordinator of the red list. The best place to see this animal is Jhiri Patha on the rocky hills of Matamuhuri. So every day I keep my eyes under the rocky Jhiripath. I kept my ears open at night, if the call could be heard. I had told several people in the house where I had spent the night at the Murang house in Paharbhanga to report when they heard the call. But in no way did his hadith match.
After walking for about two hours on the way to Patra Para, I am sitting on a rock near the Thriaprongboi waterfall with a tired body. Fellow Shibli Sadiq suddenly screamed. Tepicui found. I felt a great shiver. What could be better than this! Going closer, I saw that the animal was looking at me. I could easily recognize it by seeing the clear yellowish spots on the surface of the dark brown body. I took pictures very well. In no way did he feel annoyed. I spent about half an hour with the tapuquite towards Patra Para.
We don't have much information about these unknown creatures like tapeworms. There are not many research initiatives. I have always wanted to know how the animals really are in the wild.
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