Mammalian persistence and conservation priorities in a fragmented tropical refuge of Bangladesh

Global mammalian diversity is declining rapidly due to habitat loss, fragmentation, and weak enforcement of conservation measures, raising fundamental questions about species persistence in human-modified landscapes. Protected areas serve as critical refuges, yet many in South Asia are small, degraded, and embedded within heavily human-dominated settings. In Bangladesh, Inani National Park supports iconic mammals, including the Endangered Asian Elephant and the Western Hoolock Gibbon. Despite serving as a corridor, the refuge’s conservation efficacy under increasing pressure remains poorly understood. To assess drivers of persistence and inform spatial management, we conducted a year-long survey (November 2022–November 2023) combining systematic line transects and extensive camera trapping (4771 trap-days). We documented 23 wild mammal species, including three globally Endangered and four Vulnerable taxa.…