A curious case at Dhaka zoo

Bangladesh National Zoo authorities on Friday handed over two animals from its collection to a citizen for adoption, one of which it has claimed was a donation from one of the most renowned artists in the country’s history. It naturally begs the question -- why? 

Following reports on social media that a dog was on display at the zoo and animal rights activists’ dismay over the matter, this correspondent made a trip to the zoo and found the long-furred dog, labelled a “Torior” on the sign outside a small cage, which saying animal was donated to the zoo by eminent artist (and well-known animal lover) SM Sultan.

The sign does not reveal much else -- about the artist or the animal.

Sultan passed away on October 10, 1994, which means even if the dog was donated as an infant in the last days of the artist’s life, it would have to be at least 25 years old -- long beyond the normal lifespan of dogs.

According to staffers at the zoo, the dog is provided bread at 7am and 700gm of meat at 11am every day.

Another dog was found at the zoo, in a relatively larger enclosure -- a Sarail hound, descendent of the greyhound, Arabian hunting dog and wild dog – according to the information board.

Sarail is one of the most well-known breeds of dogs from Bangladesh, named after the upazila in Brahmanbaria where they were first found.

However, visitors at the zoo were not particularly thrilled about them. “Who comes to the zoo to see a dog? I don’t find any reason for keeping them. Maybe the zoo authorities do not have enough interesting animals,” said Mehedi, a private university student.  

Animal rights organisation People for Animal Welfare (PAW) Foundation recently raised the issue dogs in captivity at the zoo.

Founder of the organisation Rakibul Haq Emil termed dogs as companion animals. “Dogs are not kept at zoos in other countries. They are not wild animals; why should they be kept in zoos?”

PAW Foundation also wrote to the zoo’s curator on August 22, asking for the dog to be freed and handed over to a willing adopter.

There is no such breed called “Torior”; instead it would be terrier -- a type of dog that span across many breeds, according to Dhaka University Zoology Professor Niamul Naser.

Wishing anonymity, a veterinary official of the zoo said, “A dog usually lives 10 to 15 years… This dog is not directly from SM Sultan. But a dog donated by the artist was kept in the same cage. When that dog died, this one was kept instead. However, signboard has not been changed.”

Dhaka University Zoology Prof Firoj Jaman said, “Wild animals can be kept at zoo to draw visitors, or for educational purposes. But keeping domestic animals in a zoo doesn’t serve any purpose.”

A GAME OF HIDE-AND-SEEK

Getting in touch with and finding information about it from the zoo authorities proved to be difficult.

This correspondent went to the zoo on Monday and Tuesday, and spent several hours each day waiting to meet Curator Dr SM Nazrul Islam, but both days he was out of the office.

When asked about it in person, Deputy Curator Nurul Islam refused to talk on record, and suggested to talk with the curator.

Contacted over phone, the curator said that the reason behind keeping the dogs was they were special cases. “The dog was donated by a renowned artist. If you contact with the concerned department, they will help you find the exact date and time. We kept the dog in his honour,” he said about the terrier.  

When pointed out that a dog donated by SM Sultan would be a very old dog which this one was not, he backtracked, saying, “I received this dog when I joined,and that is what I know.”

Asked about the request from PAW Foundation, Nazrul said they were considering it, and would decide whether they wanted to continue displaying dogs at the zoo.

When this correspondent contacted the concerned department -- Small Mammals and Reptiles -- for information on the dogs, official MA Jalil said they could not provide it unless instructed by higher authorities.

Requested over phone, deputy curator Nurul Islam refused to cooperate, instead asking for proof that this correspondent was indeed a journalist.

This correspondent then called curator SM Nazrul Islam, only to find his tone very different. “Why are you so interested about the dogs? The zoo has done a lot of development work. Instead of all that, if you want to write about dogs in a newspaper like The Daily Star, that is very unfortunate.”

“Whatever information I have given you is enough,” he said, adding he was in a meeting and the discussion about dogs was “not important”. He did not want to talk about it any further.

A HAPPY ENDING

In response to the letter sent by PAW Foundation, the zoo on Friday afternoon handed over both the dogs to Lira Hasnin, an advisor of PAW Foundation and an animal lover who was willing to adopt the dogs, said Rakibul Haq Emil.

“Our vet checked both the dogs. The terrier is between five and six years old, and he needs some treatment. But he is happy at his new home,” he said, and shared a video of the terrier, who was named Hope, at his new home sauntering around happily in Lira’s lawn and curiously interacting with her pet cats.

“The Sarail is still somewhat feral, so we have kept him at our shelter to gradually get him accustomed to other dogs and humans,” Emil said, adding that they are thankful to the zoo authorities for giving the dogs a chance at a healthy, normal life.