A Sambar foal was born in Chattogram Zoo on Sunday afternoon, bringing the population of the vulnerable species of deer in the zoo up to six.

The Sambar is a large deer found in the Indian Subcontinent, Southern China and Southeast Asia including Sri Lanka, Thailand, Myanmar, Philippines and Indonesia. It was listed as a vulnerable species in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List in 2008, said wildlife experts. 

In Bangladesh, the Sambar was commonly found in the hilly region  of Chattogram, Chattogram Hill Tracts, and Sylhet once upon a time, said Dr Farid Ahsan, a professor of Zoology Department of Chittagong University.

However, over the years the population of the species has declined substantially due to hunting and loss of habitat, he said.

Among the zoos in the country, only Chattogram Zoo possesses Sambar deer, said Dr Shahadat Hossain Shuvo, a veterinary surgeon and curator of the zoo.

"The female Sambar foal was born with three kg of weight in the zoo," he said.

The zoo now has a total of 39 deer of three different species, including 27 spotted deer and six barking deer, he said.