In a rare exchange of animals, Chittagong Zoo swapped a pair of tigers for a hippopotamus in collaboration with Dhaka and Rangpur zoo authorities.
This is the first hippopotamus for the zoo, officials said. The male hippopotamus arrived in Chittagong on Thursday.
Chittagong Zoo Deputy Curator, Dr Shahadat Hossain Shuvo, said that a female hippopotamus is expected to arrive at the zoo soon.
This animal exchange was part of a collaborative effort, authorized by the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock.
Dr Shuvo said: "We delivered a pair of two-year-old tigers from Chittagong to Rangpur last Tuesday. In exchange, Chittagong Zoo received a 12-year-old male hippopotamus from Dhaka."
The initiative began following a request from the Chittagong Zoo Management Council and the then Deputy Commissioner, Md Mominur Rahman, in 2021, in this regard. The recently proposed animal exchange plan was eventually accepted by Chittagong Zoo authorities.
Dr Shuvo further said: "We have created a habitat with new infrastructure for the hippopotamus. The female hippo will also reach Chittagong soon. Hopefully, the hippos will be able to adapt to Chittagong Zoo."
