Published: 12:00 AM, 23 April 2016
Dhaka Zoo or Dhaka dump?
Disease, dirt demand urgent cleanup
The National Zoo in city's Mirpur illustrates negligence and mismanagement. There is no initiative even though a number of cages are empty for a long time. Apart from this, many animals are too old for the zoo to be displayed.
The irregularities of the national institution has put at least 48 animals at risk of losing their lives. A number of sewerage lines dump toxic waste into the lake inside the zoo. Moreover, the dirty atmosphere mounts up the risks threatening the zoo inhabitants.
In reality the environment represents such a situation that it can be termed unhygienic for animals and humans alike.
Visiting the zoo on Thursday, no remarkable visitors' rush was found. Some students and couples were found strolling around. Although no zoo in other countries has food courts inside, the Mirpur Zoo has a row of food courts. Vendors were also found selling foods and snacks. Some visitors were feeding and throwing the animals those foods.
A zoo staff alleged that visitors frequently enter inside hiding food items as no food or beverage is allowed to be carried inside. The zoo animals often suffer from the visitors curious feeding. On the other hand, irregularities and mismanagement have been pushing the confined animals to numerous diseases. The deer cage seemed to look like as a mini-desert as there were insufficient green plants and grasses there. Animals were screaming and yelling at the 'Animal Quarantine" beside the lake. The guard said that the sick and aged animals are kept in the section. A sheep had been accompanying the sick hippopotamus. Zoo section officer Md Golam Azam said two hippopotamuses came to the zoo in 2012. One of them died in 2013 while the other one then shifted to the quarantine section.
"The ailing sheep was kept with the hippopotamus so that he doesn't feel lonely," he added. The official said that 3 lions, a tiger, 3 bears and a dog had been suffering from diseases. They were being treated separately. However, the animals showed little interest. However, the lions in their cages were found reluctant even when the visitors were so excited to cheer them up. Meats were piled up inside. "We are not authorized to make any comment regarding the matter. You see they are too old to be displayed and not even in mood," some of the zoo staff commented.
The garbage piles were kept beside the lion cages and those were emitting odor. Some other cages were being repaired and painted.
Curator of the zoo Dr ASM Nazrul Islam, however, said that the sick animals were being properly treated. "Our staff members have been taking care of them round the clock," he commented adding the zoo authority had been taking initiatives to modernize the national zoo introducing new animals.Meanwhile, the entry fee of the national zoo at Mirpur has been hiked. The new fee would be charged from 1 July next. The advisory committee of Mirpur Zoo took the decision at a meeting held on its premises on Wednesday.
The entry fee currently is Tk 20 per person which has been hiked to Tk 30 that would enhance the yearly income of the zoo at Tk three to four crore more. The committee also approved a package to improve the zoo making it more entertaining and visitor-friendly.
It can be mentioned here that the committee had their last meeting three years ago. The meeting sources said that Mirpur Zoo would be decorated like Jurong Bird Park, Singapore. There would be elaborated arrangement including site seeing jip, water boat, floating restaurant and resort.
Currently Dhaka Zoo has a number of two thousand animals and birds. The Fisheries and Livestock Ministry has finalized to collect new animals and birds for the zoo. Curator of the national zoo Dr Nazrul Islam said, "The meeting decided to increase manpower and conducting regular eviction drives from Mirpur-1 intersection to zoo entry point."
He opined that if the initiatives can be made successful, the total scenario of Mirpur Zoo would be changed.
"Animal and bird of 33 species will be brought to Dhaka as a part of modernizing the zoo. The approximate expenditure has been estimated at Tk 10 crore," he added. The concerned ministry sources informed that the meeting discussed the security issues and gave directives to the curator. The zoo was asked to hike the price of the animals they sell. They also decided to sell some peacocks. Giving risk allowance for the zoo employees was also decided in the meeting.
The irregularities of the national institution has put at least 48 animals at risk of losing their lives. A number of sewerage lines dump toxic waste into the lake inside the zoo. Moreover, the dirty atmosphere mounts up the risks threatening the zoo inhabitants.
In reality the environment represents such a situation that it can be termed unhygienic for animals and humans alike.
Visiting the zoo on Thursday, no remarkable visitors' rush was found. Some students and couples were found strolling around. Although no zoo in other countries has food courts inside, the Mirpur Zoo has a row of food courts. Vendors were also found selling foods and snacks. Some visitors were feeding and throwing the animals those foods.
A zoo staff alleged that visitors frequently enter inside hiding food items as no food or beverage is allowed to be carried inside. The zoo animals often suffer from the visitors curious feeding. On the other hand, irregularities and mismanagement have been pushing the confined animals to numerous diseases. The deer cage seemed to look like as a mini-desert as there were insufficient green plants and grasses there. Animals were screaming and yelling at the 'Animal Quarantine" beside the lake. The guard said that the sick and aged animals are kept in the section. A sheep had been accompanying the sick hippopotamus. Zoo section officer Md Golam Azam said two hippopotamuses came to the zoo in 2012. One of them died in 2013 while the other one then shifted to the quarantine section.
"The ailing sheep was kept with the hippopotamus so that he doesn't feel lonely," he added. The official said that 3 lions, a tiger, 3 bears and a dog had been suffering from diseases. They were being treated separately. However, the animals showed little interest. However, the lions in their cages were found reluctant even when the visitors were so excited to cheer them up. Meats were piled up inside. "We are not authorized to make any comment regarding the matter. You see they are too old to be displayed and not even in mood," some of the zoo staff commented.
The garbage piles were kept beside the lion cages and those were emitting odor. Some other cages were being repaired and painted.
Curator of the zoo Dr ASM Nazrul Islam, however, said that the sick animals were being properly treated. "Our staff members have been taking care of them round the clock," he commented adding the zoo authority had been taking initiatives to modernize the national zoo introducing new animals.Meanwhile, the entry fee of the national zoo at Mirpur has been hiked. The new fee would be charged from 1 July next. The advisory committee of Mirpur Zoo took the decision at a meeting held on its premises on Wednesday.
The entry fee currently is Tk 20 per person which has been hiked to Tk 30 that would enhance the yearly income of the zoo at Tk three to four crore more. The committee also approved a package to improve the zoo making it more entertaining and visitor-friendly.
It can be mentioned here that the committee had their last meeting three years ago. The meeting sources said that Mirpur Zoo would be decorated like Jurong Bird Park, Singapore. There would be elaborated arrangement including site seeing jip, water boat, floating restaurant and resort.
Currently Dhaka Zoo has a number of two thousand animals and birds. The Fisheries and Livestock Ministry has finalized to collect new animals and birds for the zoo. Curator of the national zoo Dr Nazrul Islam said, "The meeting decided to increase manpower and conducting regular eviction drives from Mirpur-1 intersection to zoo entry point."
He opined that if the initiatives can be made successful, the total scenario of Mirpur Zoo would be changed.
"Animal and bird of 33 species will be brought to Dhaka as a part of modernizing the zoo. The approximate expenditure has been estimated at Tk 10 crore," he added. The concerned ministry sources informed that the meeting discussed the security issues and gave directives to the curator. The zoo was asked to hike the price of the animals they sell. They also decided to sell some peacocks. Giving risk allowance for the zoo employees was also decided in the meeting.
