Tiger death puts Dhaka zoo fatalities at 20 this year

[Guest guest]

The Times of India September 14, 2009

Times Global

 

CAT-ASTROPHE

 

Tiger death puts Dhaka zoo fatalities at 20 this year

 

Dhaka: A tiger has become the latest fatality at Bangladesh’s scandal-hit Dhaka

zoo, where a recent death of a lion had caused an uproar over the poor

healthcare management of the animal park.

Zoo officials said the tiger named Garjan died on Saturday as it was

suffering from “old aged complications” and was not taking food for the past

several days.

A zoo spokesman said Garjan died despite the efforts of a medical board to

treat it. The tiger’s death brings the number of animals to have died at the

facility since January this year to 20.

Media reports had said earlier that wildlife experts feared that animals at

the zoo were not properly fed or treated.

The lion Ringo had died a couple of days back, days after the death of a

young giraffe.

In May this year, a sambar deer had died in the zoo, while a baboon, a

wildebeest and the last member of Malayan tapir died in March.

One tiger, two fresh water crocodiles, one zebra and a lesser adjutant stork

had died in February.

The allegations prompted the authorities to suspend the curator and deputy

curator of the zoo following the death of the giraffe and launch an

investigation into its death.

“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,” said a spokesman of zoo,

that occupies about 186 acres of land in Mirpur.

The zoo is the abode of around 2,160 animals of 157 species and attracts

nearly 10,000 visitors everyday.

The Wildlife Trust of Bangladesh had earlier alleged that the zoo authorities

lacked expertise to care for wild animals as the park was mainly run by

veterinarians instead of wildlife biologists crucially needed for such

zoological gardens. PTI

 

--

Thank you for your compassion !

With best regards,

Debasis Chakrabarti

Compassionate Crusaders Trust

http://www.animalcrusaders.org