A mini zoo and park with ostriches and other wildlife has been set up at Mornoi village under Parbatipur upazila in the district where successful breeding of ostriches has created a new example in the area.
Parbatipur Upazila Livestock Officer Dr. Pabitra Kumar confirmed the news to BSS and said he recently visited the mini zoo and park along with District Livestock Officer (DLO) Dr Md Abdur Rahim.
“The overall situation of the park has been brought to the attention of the district administration and relevant government offices,” he added.
The mini zoo and park was established privately as a hobby project by engineer Md. Rais Uddin Mia Babul, a resident of Mornoi village. Visitors from the locality and different parts of the country visit the park every day to see the ostriches and other wildlife.
During a visit to the park, the ostriches were found to be its main attraction. The world’s largest bird, known for its huge body, long neck and powerful legs, cannot fly but has successfully bred in this remote rural area.
Seven ostrich chicks have been hatched from eggs through incubators at the park. One of them has died, while the remaining six are growing healthily. The chicks hatched on May 24 this year.
Park owner and entrepreneur Babul said two ostriches were brought to the park from Dhaka several months ago. Within a week of their arrival, the birds laid 24 eggs.
With the assistance of teachers and researchers from the Department of Genetics and Animal Breeding at Hajee Mohammad Danesh Science and Technology University (HSTU) here, the eggs were placed in incubators at the university laboratory.
Of the successful hatchings, five chicks were hatched in incubators at the HSTU research laboratory and two in the park’s own incubator.
Initially the matter was kept confidential to ensure the safety of the chicks. In August, Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Dinajpur Md Rafiqul Islam and officials of the district livestock department visited the park. Following his visit, news of the ostrich chicks became public, drawing increasing numbers of visitors to the park.
Officials of the district livestock department said an ostrich can lay between 60 and 80 eggs a year, with each egg weighing around 1.5 kilograms. Ostriches can be fed grass, leafy vegetables, poultry feed and other readily available food.
District Veterinary Surgeon Dr Ashika Akbar Trisha said ostrich farming could create employment opportunities for the unemployed people in addition to serving as a hobby.
“If production can be increased in the future, commercial production and exports could potentially make an important contribution to the country’s economy,” she said.
Prof Dr Md Rashedul Islam, Chairman of the HSTU’s Department of Genetics and Animal Breeding, said the department has been researching the potential for ostrich breeding in Bangladesh since 2020.
He said eggs were placed in incubators several times at the university laboratory in 2021 and 2022 but the expected success was not achieved. In 2023, one chick was successfully hatched from an egg, but it died a few days later.
“Compared with those earlier attempts, the healthy growth of six ostrich chicks at a park in Dinajpur is being viewed as a major success by those concerned,” he said.
He expressed hope that if proper care, research and necessary support continue, the success achieved here could be replicated in other parts of the country.
