Chattogram Zoo looks for new lion couple with no offspring from Nova and Badshah

When Chattogram Zoo decided to marry off lioness Nova, her ‘groom’ Badshah was brought from Rangpur in exchange for another lioness. They ‘tied the knot’ amid much fanfare. But, the couple has had no child in the last four years.

Badshah is now aged 17 while Nova is 15 years old. The lion couple have reached the twilight of their life, well past the age of reproduction. The Chattogram Zoo may have no lion at all when they die.

Aged Badshah spends time alone in the cage

The zoo authorities now plan to import a pair of lion and lioness with their own money from South Africa, said Md Ruhul Amin, executive officer of Hathazari Upazila and convener of the zoo’s governing board.

They will send the proposal to buy the animals to the deputy commissioner in February, said Ruhul Amin. They will start the process of procurement once the proposal is approved.

Nova and her sister Barsha were born at the zoo in 2005 to Lakshmi, who died after some time. Their father Raj passed away in 2008.

The authorities initiated the move to bring a companion for Nova when she was 11 and exchanged Barsha for Badshah with Rangpur Zoo in 2016.

Badshah and Nova now stay in separate cages

On Sept 22 that year, the authorities put the lion and lioness together in a cage and the “the wedding ceremony” of the pair made headlines.

The other animals in the zoo, including the tigers, had given birth to babies.

The average lifespan of a lion is 17 years and they reach their reproductive phase at the age of two and a half years and deliver their first cubs at three. Lions reach the end of their reproductive phase at the age of 12. They can give birth to cubs for maximum five times.

But when Badshah was brought to the Chattogram Zoo, he was already 13 years old and Nova 11. “They both met at the end of their reproductive phase,” said Md Shahadat Hossain Shubho, deputy curator of the zoo.

As she ages, Nova has no interest in family

Also, Badshah was in ill health and it took him almost a year to recover, the veterinary doctor said.

“Nova attacked Badshah when they were put together in the same cage for reproduction. As the lioness was stronger, it used to attack the lion quite frequently. So, they couldn’t be kept together.”

The authorities focused more on ensuring a companion for the lionesses Barsha and Nova because it makes them live longer, he said.

Established in 1989, the Chattogram Zoo is run by the district administration. It is the only profitable zoo in the country, according to officials. They said they collect the animals and conduct other development work with the earnings from ticket sale.

It had no tiger or lion for a long time. Many other animals had no companion either. bdnews24.com had published several reports on the issue.

The pair Badshah and Nova tied the knot four years ago amid much fanfare.

In 2016, the zoo authorities took the initiative to bring companions for the lonely animals and also tigers.

They spent Tk 3.3 million importing a pair of tiger and tigress from South Africa. The tiger couple, Raj and Pari, gave birth to an Albino tiger, which is said to be the first of its kind in the country.

The zoo now has six tigers in total having seen four tiger cubs dying right after their birth.