A lioness at Dhaka Zoo caused widespread panic on 5 December after breaking free from her cage and wandering inside the Mirpur facility for more than two and a half hours before being tranquilised and safely returned. The weekend crowd was quickly evacuated as authorities launched an urgent search across the zoo premises.
Zoo staff discovered that Daisy, one of the enclosure’s five lions, was missing at around 4:45 pm, prompting immediate fears that she might breach the zoo’s boundaries. A large-scale search ensued, and she was eventually located within the zoo’s six-foot-high netted enclosure before being guided back to her cage later in the evening.
Efforts to immobilise the lioness grew more challenging after sunset, as thick foliage and various obstacles obstructed the darting process. Multiple doses of sedatives were eventually administered, allowing the staff to gain control of the situation and secure the animal.
Zoo Director Mohammad Rafiqul Islam Talukder expressed concern over the circumstances of the escape, noting that both locks on the lion’s iron gate were found open despite no signs of tampering on the grille. Authorities have formed an inquiry committee to investigate whether sabotage led to the incident.
Officials confirmed that Daisy never left the zoo grounds, and the visitors were evacuated only minutes after the alarm was raised. Dhaka Zoo currently houses five lions, including the escaped lioness.
