Young lion Heera has died after starving for almost two and a half months at the National Zoo in Dhaka.
Gulam Azam, carnivore section officer, and Nazmul Huda, veterinarian of the zoo, said Heera breathed his last on July 4.
Nazmul Huda said: “Heera was suffering from acid reflux and in the autopsy we found four holes and some stones in his stomach.
“Samples from the autopsy have been sent to the laboratory to identify exactly what caused the lion's death,” he added.
According to zoo authorities, the lion was starving since April 26, leading to its death.
Previously, the zookeepers told Dhaka Tribune that Heera ate for the last time on April 25. Since April 26, he ate nothing at all.
Veterinarians have never seen this kind of case before, where an animal has not eaten for such a long time, they added.
With the departure of Heera, the number of lions at the zoo is down to five - three male and two female lions.
In August 2015, Heera was born in Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Safari Park in Gazipur. In May 2018, the park authorities transferred Heera and three other lions to the zoo.
Heera is the second lion to die at a zoo. Another lion,Juboraj, died at the Comilla Zoo on December 12, 2017. However, Juboraj was suffering from several old age-related health issues, and died of them.
Furor over Heera’s death
Angry citizens reacted to news of Heera's critical condition when it went viral on social media. Their reaction took a serious turn when National Zoo authorities confirmed the lion’s death on Tuesday.
Hossain Sohel, senior reporter (wildlife and environment) at Ekattor TV, wrote on his Facebook post: “At last, Heera died at the zoo. Unfortunately, only Heera's caretaker will be fired, which was the case earlier when tigers died.
“This is really funny and pathetic!”
Rakibul Haq Emil, a leading animal rights activist, also gave a strong and emotional reaction on his Facebook post.
His post said: “Heera the lion, died. He was serving life imprisonment at the Dhaka zoo and passed away at the age of only four.
"It can be said that he is free now.”
