The recent death of a male lion at the Dhaka Zoo brings the total number of animal deaths at the facility this year to 20.
Negligence, inadequate care, inexperience, and poor living conditions the Dhaka Zoo are to blame for the reported deaths of 20 animals so far this year. Three days ago, a young giraffe died and yesterday, a lion.
According to The Daily Star, Ringo the lion was eight years old when he was found dead in his cage. He had been unable to move for the past year, due to paralysis. There are currently 17 lions housed in eight small cages at the Dhaka Zoo.
The zoo’s curator and deputy director were suspended following the giraffe’s death. It was also discovered that the zoo’s greater one-horned (Indian) rhinoceros is reportedly suffering from pyometra, an extremely painful uterine infection that requires surgery – which the zoo cannot provide. In addition, a tiger, sambar, horse, and kudu are also ill.
Acting zoo curator Bibekanando Chowdhury says the total number of sick animals at the zoo is unknown.
Dhaka zoo death toll
Prior to the giraffe (she died from dehydration) and lion deaths this month, nine of the 20 total animals that have died at the Dhaka zoo this year are reportedly as follows:
February
- One Bengal tiger
- Two freshwater crocodiles
- One zebra
- One lesser adjutant stork
March
- One baboon
- One wildebeest
- One Malayan tapir
May
- One sambar
“Overburdened” with animals
According to a zoo official, a lack of funding and space are responsible for the zoo’s inability to provide appropriate environments for the remaining animals – and some of the animals have become “a burden” on the zoo because of a staff shortage.
Right now we are overburdened with some animals as we have 17 pythons, 17 lions, 14 tigers and nine hippopotamus and many deer. We need lots of space if we want to ensure proper management of these animals.
“Slum” behind the zoo
The Daily Star was also told by a zoo official that a slum located behind the cages of horses and giraffes was a threat to the zoo animals.
The slum dwellers disturb and scare the animals a lot. For the safety and security of the animals the slum needs to be removed. The slum people are living just behind the zoo wall. So, it is not safe for zoo animals’ health.
He added that domestic animals kept by slum dwellers were spreading diseases to the zoo animals.
Negligence, inadequate care
In a related article, Reza Khan, a top wildlife expert who heads Dubai Zoo in the United Arab Emirates said that the animal deaths were due to negligence, lack of expertise, and poor living conditions.
Dhaka zoo is run by vets who don’t know the eating habits and wildlife environment of the animals they keep.
The zoo houses 2,160 animals of 157 species on 186 acres of land in Mirpur, and approximately 10,000 people visit the Dhaka Zoo every day.
Image source: flickr.com / CC BY 2.0
About Rhishja Cota-Larson
WELL…THEY NEED TO CLOSE IT DOWN FOR GOOD !!!!
THEY CAN’T EVEN LOOK AFTER THEMSELVES, let alone, look
after these animals !
Gone is their day…..sad but true !!!
ARE THEY NO BANGLADEHI MILLIONAIRE(s) IN THAT COUNTRY?
OR…
ARE THEY THE ONLY 2 LADIES WHO INTERCHANGE OFTEN
AS PRIME MINISTERS ???
From the author:
Sadly, the death toll has been updated to 21 animals.
Several sources have now reported that a tiger has died.
10,000 people a day? Seems to me they either need to charge a bit more for the tickets or look into their financials.
How does an animal die from dehydration? Seems there is some neglect going on there..didn’t anyone of those 10,000 people who have visited during the entire year think something was wrong or ask a question as to the health of the animals? They didn’t die overnight, it took that poor lion an entire year to die!!!
Zoo keepers didnt ask for help from another zoo or volunteers? Somethings fishy!
From the author:
A male giraffe is the latest death at the Dhaka Zoo.
http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/latest_news.php?nid=19603
Since long time all the times I advocate the closure of Not only Dhaka Zoo, but all the zoos in the world. An alternative may be Safari parks where the animals will remain free, the visitors (human beings) will be on the moving cage. Let them be free. In a country where millions of people remain unfed, how come we can expect we will feed the animals to their requirements? The meat bought for lion, tigers etc will be cooked in the houses of the Zoo people. How come we expect that in a country only around 1 Taka per head is spent for medical treatment, and thousands of people are dying without doctors, without medicines will take care of ailing and sick animals? It is inhuman. Let’s start a movement to free all the animals of Dhaka zoo.
Recently another information shocked me very much. Some company, in compliance with Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock is planning to build a theme park inside the ZOO. My god ! Where are we living? I loudly protest this decision. If necessary I will alone go on protesting building the Theme Park in the zoo. Please come forward and save our animals. Instead Make the Dhaka zoo a Safari Park as it is having a huge land. Please please come forward.
Prof Dr. S Rashidul Hasan
Dept of Tourism & Hospitality
University of DHAKA. &
one of the pioneer advocates for creating Eco tourism in Bangladesh.
can we do the same to the owner of the zoo if he picked up the phone and ask another zoo most would help even if it hard to do so no animals at any zoo should go through hell with no food and water