The Dhaka Zoo on Saturday received 12 new residents of four species, three each of zebra, greater kudu, ostrich and oryx, from South Africa.
Zoo officials said the animals arrived at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at about 6:00am by a special cargo flight of France Airlines and reached the zoo by a special vehicle at 10:00am.
‘The animals were freed to the sheds of their own species by noon,’ acting curator of the zoo ABM Shahidullah told the news agency.
Saturday’s is the second consignment of the government’s recent initiative to procure 270 animals of 54 species at a cost of Tk 6.95 crore.
Of them, 218 of 28 species will come from South Africa and the rest from other countries, including Canada, the United Kingdom, Singapore and India, he said.
He added that a trader in wild birds has been commissioned with the whole task to carry out by June this year.
On April 19, the zoo received the first consignment of animals comprising two African white rhinos, two white lions, two striped chimpanzees and two hyenas of two different varieties, all from South Africa.
The Dhaka Zoo covers 186 acres of land with 118 sheds currently housing 1,800 residents but having an accommodation capacity of nearly 2,200 animals.
-With BSS/New Age input
