'Zoo tiger... utopian story'

I wish Dhaka Zoo and other zoos in the country would remain abreast with the developments in the world of zoos and aquariums in all modern societies. I feel pity for my colleagues in the country. I hope they will start reading books and go through hundreds of internet sites that describe the techniques of zoo management and the principles followed for the release of any zoo or captive bred animal into the wilderness areas.

Safari park (in Dulahazra) is no more than a captive breeding centre with all animals kept in a denuded forested habitat under fenced condition. Wildlife safaris are completely different than zoo safaris. In Africa, actually sections of wildlife sanctuary or national parks have been converted into safaris for the visitors. Their animals are not "fenced off" from the rest of their clans. Whereas Dulahazra one is a fenced area where animals of the Safari cannot or can never meet their wild counterparts. So, this safari is nothing but an "OPEN ZOO".

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Bangladesh never had any lion in the country in the historical past. How one dares releasing such an animal species in the wild? No sensible person can even think about introducing an alien species into the country. Even Dhaka Zoo's Indian peafowl (formerly Common/Blue Peafowl) is not a pure breed or it is from any stock of Bangladesh population of Indian peafowl. It's a hybrid with white and brown colours instead of the pure blue and blue related colours of the original species of the Indian peafowl. Such hybrids can never be released into the wild because of the restrictions imposed by the reintroduction group of the SSC of IUCN. Nobody knows the genetic makeup of either the Bengal Tiger, Nilgai or other specimens held by Dhaka Zoo. I understand our Dhaka Zoo tigers originally came from India and not from the Bangladesh Sundarbans.

My concern is only with releasing zoo or captive-bred animals into the wilderness areas of Bangladesh. I don't bother or simply care whether Dhaka Zoo, or in that matter any other zoo of the country, sends hundreds of their animals to another zoo, captive breeding centre or fenced off safaris like the Dulahazra one in the country or abroad simply because that is what zoos round the world are doing. They are exchanging animals or giving some of these animals on breeding loan, educational loan and/or donations.

In view of Dhaka Zoo Curator's opinion published in your daily recently about the zoo world I like just to quote a recent press release issued by the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA) on 5th June 2003 concerning the wild idea of releasing Lion from an Iraqi Zoo into the wilderness areas in Africa. WAZA's same view is applicable to Dhaka Zoo's expected misadventure of releasing tigers (and Lions!) in the wild areas of Bangladesh.

"World zoos and aquariums oppose dumping of lions and other species into the wild: In response to media reports on the planned transfer of Iraqi lions to game parks in South Africa, the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA) and the Pan-African Association of Zoological Gardens, Aquaria and Botanic Gardens (PAAZAB) state their opposition in principle to the indiscriminate transfer and release to the wild of animals kept in human care. The two organisations emphasise that such actions must always be in keeping with the provisions of the relevant guidelines issued by the Survival Specialist Group (Species Survival Commission/SSC) of the World Conservation Union (IUCN).

"From June 3 to 6, the Annual Meeting of the Pan-African Association of Zoological Gardens, Aquaria and Botanic Gardens (PAAZAB) took place in Oudtshoorn, South Africa. The meeting was also attended by the Executive Director of the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA) and included a discussion on the uncontrolled importation of African wildlife species for the purpose of keeping the animals under semi-wild conditions or releasing them to the wild. Concerns were expressed of the disease risk implications to local populations of wildlife. In addition to this, a 'genetic pollution' of the original populations by animals of unknown or different genetic lineage would be possible if uncontrolled breeding with such individuals is allowed to occur.

"According to the respective Codes of Ethics applied by both organisations no release-to-the-wild programme shall be undertaken without the animals having undergone a thorough veterinary examination to assess their fitness for such release and that their welfare post release is reasonably safeguarded. Such assessment must be made in accordance with the quarantine and health screening protocols for wildlife prior to transloca-tion and release to the wild issued by the Veterinary Specialist Group of IUCN.

Following release, a thorough monitoring programme should be established and maintained. In addition, the IUCN/SSC/Reintro-duction Specialist Group Guidelines for reintroduction must always be followed. This implies inter alia that only animals of known and demonstrable genetic status are returned to and released in a range state of the species.

"As a general rule the release to the wild of animals bred by member zoos are the result of a coordinated and intensively controlled ex situ breeding programme. They are undertaken in compliance with the applicable legislation and guidelines, and in close cooperation with the local authorities and other stakeholders.

"If animals do not qualify for being included into such release-to-the wild programmes WAZA and PAAZAB stress that other options must be vigorously investigated."

Dr. Reza Khan is Head of Zoo Section, Dubai Municipality, UAE.