Nyala calf born in Gazipur safari park

A nyala calf was born in the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Safari Park at Gazipur. It is also called spiral-horned deer.

The herbivore animal naturally belongs to the genus Antelope in the South-East African savanna region. Due to its shy nature, this animal is not commonly seen.

They usually choose to eat in quiet time. Two nyalas were brought at the time of the establishment of the safari park. Although the calf was born in the park recently, it was only seen last Wednesday as it was kept hidden.

According to the park authority, the nyalas wander in the natural environment of the safari park. Earlier another calf was born in this park, but a fox ate it up. Meanwhile, a male nyala recently died due to old age.

The new calf and its mother were recently spotted in a zebra enclosure in the park. The sex of the newborn could not be determined as it could not be approached. Due to the dense forests and bushes, extreme insecurity is created after the birth of the offspring of this animal. But the calves beat all odds to survive the risk of being prey to foxes and other predators.

Wildlife Inspector of Bangabandhu Safari Park Sarwar Hossain Khan said, "The female nyala does not have horns; the male has horns but he does not have horn branches. Being shy, they hide when they see human presence. They are active in the morning and late afternoon and stay hidden most of the day. Male Nyala can seed at 18 months and female Nyala can give birth at 12 months. The mating season of this animal is in the spring and autumn, and calves are born after a gestation period of 7 months."

"Their numbers are declining rapidly due to smuggling, habitat destruction, agriculture and cattle grazing. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has already identified the animal as the least endangered species. A nyala's body length is 135-195 cm, weight is up to 55-140 kg. Female and young males have more than 10 white stripes on their bodies," he added.

Officer-in-Charge of the safari park Tabibur Rahman said, "A combination of local and foreign animals are now living in our safari park. The park has opened the door for visitors to entertain and get acquainted with unknown animals. The new nyala calf is growing in safety. It is healthy and normal due to the surveillance and care of the park staff."