Some improvements, but still not enough

With over one lakh people thronging Bangladesh National Zoo in Mirpur every day during the Eid holidays, it still remains a must-visit place for Dhaka residents on public holidays.

People end up going to same recreational venues as there are only a handful of options available.

While visiting the zoo on the third day of Eid, this correspondent had to literally push and shove many to secure a ticket and get inside.

Once inside, people were seen gathering in front of the cages in groups to see their favourites. Children, on their fathers’ shoulders, rejoiced every time an animal moved or made a sound. But of course, for the little ones the main attraction was monkeys, who were also equally enthusiastic.

Photo: Prabir Das

Dr SM Nazrul Islam, curator of the zoo, said, “On an average, around one to two lakh people visited the zoo every day during the Eid vacation.”

Accommodating so many people brings forth several challenges -- keeping the premises clean being a major one.

A frequent complaint visitors had a few years back was the foul smell emanating from the cages. That seems to have been resolved as the cages are cleaned regularly now.

“We clean the main pathways and cages every day, sometimes multiple times a day. People used to complain about the smell couple of years back but we don’t get such complaints anymore,” Dr Nazrul said.

While that is progress, the amount of litter everywhere is still an issue. “The number of plastic packets and containers strewn around ruins an otherwise okay environment,” said Naimul Islam, a college student who came to the zoo after a gap of five years.

Dr Nazrul said proper disposal of litter is a responsibility of the visitors as well. “We regularly instruct them through mikes to throw litter into trash bins kept along the pathways,” he added.

This correspondent saw trash bins at regular intervals.

Another concern for visitors is security, especially during holidays.

“We have multiple layers of security, ensured by police and Rab. Many officials stay on the premises all the time, and caretakers monitor different areas,” Dr Nazrul assured.

Although police officials were present at the entrance, there were not many guards in sight to monitor visitors. According to a sign near the entrance, there is also an option of guided tours, though this correspondent did not see any guide.

The zoo authorities have also stipulated a number of rules for visitors. Not giving food to animals, not throwing debris at them, and not getting close to them are the important ones. In addition, authorities use CCTV for surveillance, and instruct guests when they breach any rule.

Majority of visitors actually follow the rules, but some do throw food and even pebbles at the animals and go beyond the boundary to take a quick selfie.

These problems could have been addressed right away if there were enough guards, said visitors.

The zoo also houses a museum of taxidermied animals and an aquarium. While visitors will be pleased to see animals like black panther and flying squirrel at the museum, the aquarium is not that exciting. The fish tanks are small and not well designed; the back part is opaque, so the fish cannot be seen easily.

The zoo currently houses 2,792 animals, from reptiles and mammals to birds and fish. While many visitors spoke positively about the overall environment, when asked about the animals, they had mixed reactions.

“The animals always look tired… they just lie around,” said Kamruzzaman, a businessman visiting with his family. “Sizes of some cages are disproportionate, and they need to add more animals,” Matiur, his brother-in-law, chimed in.

Asked, Dr Nazrul said, “Big felines like lions and tigers stay active only for a few hours. They get aggressive before feeding time and go to sleep after eating. They know they are confined, so they can just relax. We have nocturnal animals as well, and naturally they would sleep during the day. Even then, not all animals ‘just lie around’ as mentioned.”

“People expect that every animal at the zoo will entertain them,” he added.

As far as cage sizes are concerned, there does seem to be discrepancies. This is particularly true for bird cages. For beings that are supposed to soar, the cages are quite cooped up.

When asked how authorities determine size of cages, the curator said, “We follow international guidelines… now we’re moving towards open enclosures where animals will be able to roam around freely.”

Regarding availability of veterinarians, Dr Nazrul assured that there are enough personnel to treat the animals.

Also, there have been reports of animals not getting enough food. But during this correspondent’s visit, the animals did not particularly look malnourished. Whether this was because the authorities took special measures to create a better image for Eid is something to consider, however.