Thirty-one wild animals of ten species kept illegally at the Modern Fantasy Kingdom and Mini Zoo in Naria, Shariatpur, have been rescued.

The Forest Department and the Wildlife Crime Control Unit rescued the animals and released them after a day-long joint operation in the Kolukathi area of the upazila on Sunday (16 February).

According to the Forest Department and the Wildlife Crime Control Unit, animals of various species had been kept illegally in cages for display at the Modern Fantasy Kingdom and Mini Zoo in Kolukathi for a long time. They included a bear, a freshwater crocodile, a Burmese python, a porcupine, a fishing cat, kalim (purple swamphen), doves and whistling ducks. Under the Wildlife Act 2012, collecting, possessing, displaying or keeping such animals without permission is a punishable offence. On learning of it, the joint unit carried out the operation and rescued the animals. Some were then taken to the Safari Park in Gazipur and some birds were released.

Asked about it, Nazrul Islam, manager of the Modern Fantasy Kingdom and Mini Zoo, said: "We didn't know the animals could not be kept like this. After they came today and informed us, we handed the animals over to them."

Wildlife and biodiversity conservation officer Rathindra Kumar Biswas said they had information that 31 wild animals of ten species were being kept illegally in cages and displayed there. "We rescued the animals under the conservation and security law. Some animals will be taken to Gazipur Safari Park and some have been released," he said.

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.