A total of 270 animals of 54 species are coming to Dhaka Zoo within this year in a bid to boost animal breeding at the zoo and to enhance people’s attraction for the sole zoo of the capital.
Dhaka zoo curator Dr ABM Shahid Ullah told New Age on Thursday that eight new animals would reach Dhaka from South Africa safari park by Turkish Airlines cargo plane TK-0721 today.
They include 2 white lions, 2 white rhinoceros, 2 spotted hyenas and 2 striped hyenas.
Another 12 animals, including 3 ostriches, 3 waricks, 3 zebras and 3 greater kudus of different species, will come the next day, he informed.
By three to four months 216 birds and 54 animals of different species will come to the zoo from Australia, Canada, Thailand and some African countries, he said.
African rhino, African giraffe, Arabian horse, red kangaroo, black tiger, white lion, chimpanzee, mandrill, hyena, ostrich, pigeon, macao, love bird, cockatoo and oryx are some of the upcoming new species.
Of the new animals, black tiger, white lion, Arabian horse and kangaroo will be the main attraction of the zoo, Shahid Ullah said, adding that the new animals would cost Tk 7 crore.
The black tiger and white lion will come from Canada, kangaroo and Arabian horse will come respectively from Australia and Thailand.
All these animals will be kept at Dhaka Zoo’s special cages for adjustment for 21 days, the curator said.
‘We are importing young and just matured animals which will increase the number of species at the zoo and help making pair of male and female of the existing species,’ he said.
The zoo is located on 186 acres of land at Mirpur, accommodating around 1,974 animals belonging to 126 species including 10 tigers and 11 lions.