DHAKA: Often in Dhaka, when we think about animals around us, we most think about lazy cats basking in the sun or brave dogs patrolling neighbourhoods with their ever-watchful eyes.

However, if you pause for a while and look closer, you will see that the city is home to so much more than just its familiar feline and canine residents.

The sparrow is the first bird I frequently encounter if I only start with the birds!

This tiny creature has made its place in our homes, workplaces, and balconies.

It is difficult to avoid them because they are practically everywhere!

You will see them leaping from one balcony to another from dawn to dusk.

I once longed to hold them by the hands when I was a child. As they are tiny and jittery, it was impossible to do so!

Another master of the sky you might also notice in Dhaka is the cheel (kite).

My mother used to scare me with this one: “Cheel chokh niye jabe (the kite will snatch your eyes),” she would say whenever we were caught misbehaving.

The kite glides above the bustling streets while scanning for prey with its sharp eyes.

They often choose the city’s tallest structures for their nests.

One memorable tale I heard from a colleague is of a fiercely protective mother kite that swooped down and delivered a swift, painful bite to an unsuspecting soul who dared to open a window beneath her carefully guarded nest!

And then there are the crows, often dismissed as a noisy nuisance.

These black-winged custodians are the city’s unsung heroes, performing essential ecological services.

There is this interesting relationship between monkeys and crows in the city.

If you see a gang of crows shouting, be sure that there must be a monkey teasing them somewhere nearby!

However, monkeys are perhaps the most visible yet misunderstood animals in Dhaka.

These chaotic, yet, utterly resilient urban primates still rule in some places of Old Dhaka like Bangshal, Raisaheb Bazar, Narinda, Gandaria, Shankhari Bazar, Wari, and possibly some other locations I am not aware of.

Their presence sparks irritation rather than admiration.

Interestingly enough, despite their annoyance, most of the people of Dinanath Sen Road at Gandaria still adore them.

In the quieter corners of Dhaka’s parks and open fields, squirrels can often be seen darting gracefully along sunlit tree branches, flicking their bushy tails as they take in their surroundings.

These tiny, playful creatures have been an endearing part of my university life, often brightening my days as I caught glimpses of them scurrying about on campus.

Reptiles, too, carve out their place in this urban jungle.

Gui shaap (Bengal monitor), with its sinuous movements and dinosaur-like appearance, is a surprising resident of Dhaka’s watery margins.

I recently spotted one in the Dhanmondi Lake area! And honestly, the child in me was dead scared at the sight of it.

Speaking of Dhanmondi Lake, let’s not forget to mention the small group of ducks that glide across the calm waters and if you look closely, you might also notice tadpoles darting through the water as well.

One thing I have realised is that Dhaka’s wildlife may not roar, chirp, or rustle as loudly as its traffic but it is there, enduring, and adapting every day.