Revamping the national zoo
Mohammad Shahidul Islam | Wednesday, 4 March 2009
THE concept of zoos has undergone a sea change in the past couple of decades. Zoos are no longer meant to serve as showpieces, exhibiting wildlife in confinement. Rather, these are supposed to serve long-term needs of conservation by facilitating research on diverse aspects of wildlife and their management. With regard to upkeep of animals and birds, too, greater emphasis has been on securing for the wildlife an environment as close to their natural habitat as possible.
While many acclaimed zoos around the world have realised or are close to realising these avowed objectives, our Mirpur National Zoo is nowhere near it though it is among the country's biggest animal shelters and is located on a strikingly natural landscape. However, some positive developments, including scientific captive breeding of a few rare species, have recently taken place but the overall situation is yet to improve. Substantial development is needed on several critical spheres.
Caged wildlife here looks harrowed and forlorn in small, dingy confines. This disturbing practice needs to be ended at the earliest.
In a belated but welcome development that the zoo authorities have now completed a master plan, identifying the constraints and preparing a roadmap for future development activities.
Given that management of zoos is a scientific exercise requiring long-term preparations, expertise and patience, such an effort should have been there much earlier.
The job at hand now is to implement the roadmap with a sense of urgency and sincerity. Bangladesh and its heritage as a biodiversity hotspot make all this highly imperative.
With a number of species adding to the list of the endangered every passing year, the zoo can do a world of good to protect the long-term survival prospects of such wildlife. Faunal lives apart, the region boasts of an incredibly high diversity of flora, and as such the zoo has to undertake the twin responsibility of facilitating research on both.
Bangladesh lacks adequate database on its faunal and floral wealth, something that can be effectively developed through study and research. Tourism is also a part of zoology. The development of zoos will definitely contribute to tourism.
If the government is really serious about conservation, it should stop exhibiting mawkish sensibilities and propel the zoo to a global status through concrete action.
(The writer is a national tourism worker)
While many acclaimed zoos around the world have realised or are close to realising these avowed objectives, our Mirpur National Zoo is nowhere near it though it is among the country's biggest animal shelters and is located on a strikingly natural landscape. However, some positive developments, including scientific captive breeding of a few rare species, have recently taken place but the overall situation is yet to improve. Substantial development is needed on several critical spheres.
Caged wildlife here looks harrowed and forlorn in small, dingy confines. This disturbing practice needs to be ended at the earliest.
In a belated but welcome development that the zoo authorities have now completed a master plan, identifying the constraints and preparing a roadmap for future development activities.
Given that management of zoos is a scientific exercise requiring long-term preparations, expertise and patience, such an effort should have been there much earlier.
The job at hand now is to implement the roadmap with a sense of urgency and sincerity. Bangladesh and its heritage as a biodiversity hotspot make all this highly imperative.
With a number of species adding to the list of the endangered every passing year, the zoo can do a world of good to protect the long-term survival prospects of such wildlife. Faunal lives apart, the region boasts of an incredibly high diversity of flora, and as such the zoo has to undertake the twin responsibility of facilitating research on both.
Bangladesh lacks adequate database on its faunal and floral wealth, something that can be effectively developed through study and research. Tourism is also a part of zoology. The development of zoos will definitely contribute to tourism.
If the government is really serious about conservation, it should stop exhibiting mawkish sensibilities and propel the zoo to a global status through concrete action.
(The writer is a national tourism worker)