Lioness brought back into Dhaka zoo cage 2.5 hours after escape

Authorities have managed to bring the lioness that escaped at Mirpur Zoo back into its cage.

The zoo’s Director Rafiqul Islam Talukder said the animal was tranquilised and returned to its cage at 7pm on Friday.

The lioness had escaped around 4:45pm.

The director had said immediately after the escape the lioness was roaming in the zoo premises.

The Bangladesh National Zoo in Mirpur has five male and female lions.

Born and bred in the zoo, the lioness is called Daisy. Daisy was born in 2020. Her partner died in 2023.

The zoo authorities said it took a while to bring the situation under control as they did not want to render the lioness completely unconscious.

Rafiqul suspects the door to the animal's cage must have been left open as there was no other way to escape with the cage secured with grills.

A probe body will be formed to investigate the incident, authorities said.