11 Zebras’ deaths: High nitrate levels in grass linked: probe

High levels of nitrate in the grass fed to zebras at the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Safari Park in Gazipur was linked to the deaths of 11 of the animals last month.

A member of the probe committee investigating the deaths revealed this information yesterday after the probe report was submitted on Sunday. The environment, forest and climate change ministry on January 26 formed the probe committee, led by Sanjay Kumar Bhowmik, additional secretary of the ministry.

Dr Noor Ali, the committee member and a professor of the pathology department of the veterinary science faculty at Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU), said the samples of the zebras were tested at the university's pathology and pharmacology departments.

Noor Ali, also the director of BAU Research System, said the park authorities had asked the contractor to supply "tender" grass instead of "mature"grass for zebras since December 18 last year.

The presence of trace amounts of nitrate was higher than the normal limit in the tender grass, resulting in nitrate poisoning of the zebras, he said quoting the probe report. 

In many cases, the cultivators of the grass use excess doses of urea for rapid growth and in those cases, they have to wait for a few days so that the concentration of nitrate naturally decreases, he said. Since the park authorities wanted tender grass for the zebras, they possibly did not wait long enough, he added.

Another member of the committee said nitrate was not the single cause of the deaths; the concentration of nitrate weakened the immune systems of the zebras, leading to the animals being infected with pneumonia, which resulted in their deaths.

"We had suggested to supplymature grass to the animals after drying it for a day, and there has been no report of any problem since January 29," said Noor Ali.

He also informed that 25 zebras were brought to the park in 2013 and after breeding, the number increased to 50 until 2017. But 32 zebras died since then, including the 11 in January this year.

The 18-page probe committee also recommended some suggestions to the ministry for smooth operation of the safari park.

Stating the park is running with inadequate number of staffers, the report recommended that number of staff be increased. It also recommended installation of CCTV cameras, and that the chief conservator of forest (CCF) be informed instantly if any incident takes place so that the forest department can take quick remedial action.