Rajshahi Botanical Garden expands animal collection with new peacock enclosure

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The Rajshahi Central Botanical Garden is preparing to expand its avian collection by importing eight peacocks from the Dhaka National Zoo. To accommodate the new arrivals, the Rajshahi City Corporation is currently constructing a specialized 6,500-square-foot enclosure at a cost of approximately 7.67 million taka.

According to city officials, the facility is being designed to provide a naturalistic environment that allows the birds to fly between trees. To maintain this habitat, the construction team has been instructed to preserve all existing vegetation within the site, including indigenous Arjun trees. Executive Engineer Nilufar Yasmin confirmed that the project is being funded through a block allocation, with completion expected by June.

The garden’s acting officer, Farhad Uddin, stated that the acquisition involves four male and four female peacocks. Under the agreement with Dhaka zoo authorities, four of the birds will be purchased at a rate of 25,000 taka each, while the remaining four will be provided as a donation.

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This initiative marks a shift in policy for the facility, which underwent a rebranding following the political transition in Bangladesh, changing its name from the A.H.M. Kamaruzzaman Central Park and Zoo to the Rajshahi Central Botanical Garden. The park had previously faced a period of depletion in 2023, when the former administration sold or donated a significant portion of its animal population with a stated intent to cease new acquisitions.

The zoo, which spans roughly 33 acres, has historically functioned as a key recreational site since its inception in 1972. Despite the instability that followed the political upheaval on August 5, 2024—an event that briefly saw the theft and eventual recovery of one of the garden’s geese—the facility has maintained a diverse collection of animals. Current inhabitants include over 120 spotted deer, various primates, and an array of birds, including those recently rescued or donated by local residents.