Man, animal live on 'gate money'

Chittagong Zoo Photo: Star

The 30-member managing committee headed by deputy commissioner (DC) had not taken any development programme for the zoo in past five years. The managing committee had not procured or bought any new animals during the period.

The committee members are supposed to sit once in every three months to discuss plans of development and other matters of the zoo. However, no such meeting was held in last four months, sources said.

"Financial crunch is a key factor that keeps our hands tied. We didn't have any budget and financial help directly from the government. We depend on the turnout of visitors or ticket sales and donations for our expenditures," said the supervisor of the zoo Mtujibul Haq.

He said expenditures for development of zoo, procurement of animals as well as their treatment, animal food, buying utensils or other essentials and staff salaries are to meet from the lone source 'the gate money'. "In short, the visitors give a lifeline to so many lives, both animals and humans," he said.

But that lifeline is no longer a stronger one as visitors have started to lose interest for the dwindling management.

"I've been coming here along with my family members regularly over the last few years. But it was always the same sorry experience. We had to get back home with frustration every time. We have no choice but to see the same old animals time and again as no new animals were brought in four years," banker Ashraf said.

"My two daughters got bored to see the same tiger, lion, deer and bird on several occasions. They were expecting new comers or varieties like Kangaroo, Cheetah, Hippopotamus, Rhinoceros or Giraffe and give up visiting here," said Elisa Mamtaz, a housewife.

Established on 4.98-acre of land at Pahartali near the Foy's Lake, the zoo started its journey on February 28 in 1989 with a pair of monkeys only. The number of animals rose to 80 by the end of the year. At present, it is around 200. The major attractions are the couples of tiger (Bhim and Shankari) and lion (Raj and Laxmi), five crocodiles, peacocks, one love bird, bears, deer, pelican bird, one horse and pythons.

The authorities had last collected two peacocks from Rajshahi zoo for exchange of a baby-lion two years ago. Since then, there was no new arrival in the zoo, sources said.

Raj and Laxmi were procured from Dhaka Zoo on June 30, 2000. The couple recently gave birth to two babies on the night of May 9. One died the next morning.

The zoo staff covered up the cage following the death of a lion cub. "It was done for the safety of the cub," said the supervisor.

"Visitors may irritate the baby or cause problem to its life, that's why we did this. We would clear the cover once the baby grows up to walk or stand on its feet. Hopefully, it would take another 30 days," he added.