The last remaining giraffe at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Safari Park in Gazipur has died, leaving the park without any giraffes.
According to park officials, the adult female giraffe, which had been suffering from tuberculosis, died last Monday around 4pm inside the African Safari enclosure. However, the park authorities informed the media about the death on Saturday.
Confirming the matter around 3pm on Saturday, the park’s acting officer and assistant forest conservator, Tareq Rahman, said the park was established in 2013 and had initially brought 10 giraffes from South Africa in two phases through an international animal trading company named Falcon Traders.
“Between 2017 and 2020, four more giraffes were born in the park, but several died between 2018 and 2022 due to illness,” Tareq said.
He added that the park lost another giraffe on September 18, 2024, leaving only the female giraffe alive. That one also died on Monday.
Four days after its death, on Friday, the park’s Wildlife Inspector Raju Ahmed filed a general diary (GD) with Sreepur Police Station regarding the incident. The authorities said the GD was delayed due to official engagements.
Raju Ahmed said an emergency meeting of the special medical board for the treatment and consultation of sick wild animals was held at the acting officer’s office on Tuesday morning after the giraffe fell ill.
A five-member medical team, headed by Professor Dr Golam Haider, dean of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science at Gazipur Agricultural University, was formed to oversee the treatment.
Other members included Dr Abdul Aziz Al Mamun, director of the Central Veterinary Hospital; Dr Golam Azam Chowdhury, principal scientific officer of the Central Disease Investigation Laboratory; Dr ABM Shahidullah, former chief veterinary officer of the Central Animal Hospital; and the park’s veterinary officers, Dr Hatem Sajjat and Zulkar Nain.
The medical board conducted a post-mortem examination and confirmed that the giraffe died of tuberculosis. The animal was later buried inside the park.
Gazipur Tourist Police Inspector Kamal Hossain said an investigation report on the giraffe’s death has been prepared and submitted to the authorities.
Sreepur Police Station Officer-in-Charge Mohammad Abdul Barik confirmed that the park authorities filed a GD mentioning the giraffe’s illness.
