Already facing a financial loss amounting to Taka 6 crore in the last five months, the National Zoo, located in the city’s Mirpur area, is set to reopen soon to visitors after receiving nod from the concerned ministry.
An official of Bangladesh National Zoo told Bangladesh Post on Sunday, “We have already sent a letter to the ministry for reopening the zoo. As the government loses a bulk of revenue, hopefully soon by following social distancing we will be able to reopen the gate for visitors.”
The government has shut down the National Zoo in Dhaka to contain the spread of coronavirus which is ravaging the entire world since the end of March.
Though the government loses revenue and the visitors long for going the zoo, the animals in the zoo continue loving the quiet spell due to calm environment inside it.
According to the zoo authorities, the zoo is unlikely to reopen in September due to corona infection. The government has lost revenue of Taka 6 crore due to closure of the zoo in the last five months.
The National Zoo, one of the entertainment spots in the capital, has been closed since March 20 due to coronavirus infection. And every day visitors come in front of the zoo in Mirpur and return fruitlessly. Even if it is closed, the arrival of visitors has not been stopped. Hundreds of visitors come and return every day.
However, the internal activity of the national zoo is also being operated by its staff. Additional precautionary measures have been taken at the zoo to provide care, treatment, feeding, house cleaning, and protection of animals from coronavirus.
In a noise-free environment, the animals have regained their vitality. At the same time, the breeding and fertility of animals have increased. They have never had such a secluded, quiet wild environment beforehand in the zoo.
National Zoo curator Md. Nurul Islam told The Bangladesh Post that, at present, the animals in the zoo are very sound. Giraffes, zebras, Arabian horses, hippos, deer, peacocks, ostriches, emu birds and monkeys have already given birth. The giraffe has been named Durjoy for giving birth during the Corona crisis.
“Since there are no visitors to the zoo now, there is no one to bother them. As a result, the animals are feeling better than before. The animals that used to sit numbly in the middle of the cage are now seen walking,” he added.
Regarding the re-opening of the zoo, he informed that the zoo will be reopened if the ministry gives approval to do so.
“However, we think we will be able to open the zoo to visitors in October or November,” he added.
