Mystery surrounding the sudden death of 9 zebras at Bangabandhu Safari Park

Nine zebras have died recently at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Safari Park. The zebras died between January 2 to Monday, January 24. There were a total of 31 zebras in the park. However, after the death of 9, the number now stands at 22. Thus, the death of nine zebras is considered mysterious by many. Many concerned are fearing that this is a planned assassination by poisoning. The safari park authorities called an expert meeting on Tuesday (January 25th) to look into the cause of death of nine zebras in a short period of time.

Confirming the matter, Safari Park Project Director Md. Zahidul Kabir said the meeting would be held considering all the possible angles including food poisoning, application of poison, virus-bacterial attack etc. It will include specialist veterinarians, researchers and park-related people.

Sources related to the park said that after the death of a zebra on January 2, body samples were sent to the quality control laboratory at Savar in Dhaka and to the laboratory of Bangladesh Agricultural University in Mymensingh. The results of the experiment have already come.

A visit to the zebra enclosure in the safari park reveals that they inhabit a large area inside the safari. There are artificial lakes and natural forests in the zebra pastures. There are special containers for feeding. Wild beasts and zebras eat there at the same time. In addition to the food provided, the zebras eat grass in the pasture. Monkeys also roam freely across zebra pastures.

According to park sources, zebra food is basically a variety of grasses. An organization called Mahbub Enterprise provides zebra grass in the safari park. In addition to grazing grass, the zebras are also fed by bringing grass from different parts of the country through suppliers.

Admitting the deaths of 9 zebras in just 3 weeks, the officer-in-charge of Bangabandhu Safari Park, Md. Tabibur Rahman, said that the matter was definitely unusual. A total of nine zebras have died between January 2 and last Friday. A meeting of emergency experts has been called on Tuesday to look into the matter.

Incidentally, this safari park located at Sreepur in Gazipur has been thriving on zebra sails for a long time. New guests were coming to the zebra sail for some time. There were plans to send some zebras to the national zoo from here as the number continued to increase. But such a sudden death has made everyone worried.