Chattogram Zoo has successfully hatched 33 Burmese pythons through artificial incubation, bringing the total to 148 since 2019. This conservation milestone highlights the zoo’s leadership in reptile breeding and rewilding efforts to restore declining python populations in Bangladesh.
Chattogram Zoo has once again made headlines by successfully hatching 33 Burmese python hatchlings through artificial incubation—marking the sixth such success since 2019 and further cementing the zoo’s reputation as a national leader in wildlife conservation.
With this latest development, the total number of python hatchlings produced at the zoo has reached 148, a significant achievement in Bangladesh’s efforts to restore native reptile populations.
According to Dr Shahadat Hossain Shubha, Deputy Curator of Chattogram Zoo, the most recent incubation began in April 2025, when zoo staff collected 45 eggs from two female pythons—24 from one and 21 from the other. The eggs were placed in handmade incubators built by zoo personnel, and after an incubation period of 68 to 69 days, the first 17 hatchlings emerged between June 11 and 13, followed by another 16 between June 21 and 24.
Dr Shubha noted that the young pythons will eventually be released into protected forest areas once they adapt to their environment and are deemed ready for the wild. “So far, we have released 80 python hatchlings in four phases as part of our ongoing rewilding programme,” he said.
The zoo’s python-breeding journey began in 2019 with 25 hatchlings. Since then, the numbers have steadily increased—28 in 2021, 11 in 2022, 16 in 2023, and 35 in 2024—reflecting the growing success of the initiative.
Reflecting on the origins of the program, Dr Shubha shared that the project began modestly. “In 2019, I collected a few eggs and built a makeshift incubator myself. The results were encouraging, and we’ve continued with consistent success each year since.”
The effort, he explained, was driven by an urgent need to restore python populations in the region. “The reserve forests of Chattogram were once rich in Burmese pythons, but due to deforestation and habitat loss, their numbers declined significantly. We often receive injured pythons from local communities, and that motivated us to begin captive breeding.”
Currently, 35 hatchlings remain at the zoo for monitoring, display, and research. Reptile care at the facility includes specialized enclosures, tailored diets, and constant veterinary supervision. “We isolate pregnant animals, reduce stress to avoid miscarriages, and take special care of the newborns,” said Dr Shubha. “It requires constant dedication—but we do it out of passion for wildlife.”
Beyond reptiles, Chattogram Zoo has become a national hub for breeding and conservation of multiple species, including tigers, deer, monkeys, and other animals. Over the past nine years, the zoo has bred 19 tigers—the highest number in any zoo in the country. For comparison, Dhaka National Zoo currently houses 13 tigers, while Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Safari Park in Gazipur has 8, Dulahazra Safari Park in Cox’s Bazar 4, and Rangpur Zoo 2.
Though Chattogram Zoo once had 21 tigers, two were recently exchanged with Rangpur Zoo in return for a pair of hippos as part of a breeding and enrichment exchange programme.
Situated on 10 acres of land, Chattogram Zoo currently shelters around 620 animals across 65 species, including white tigers, lions, crocodiles, and various exotic birds. The zoo attracts an average of 3,000 visitors daily and generates nearly Tk 50 crore in annual ticket revenue, according to zoo authorities.
Experts credit the zoo’s breeding success to improvements in veterinary care, scientific management, and animal-friendly habitat design. The facility’s rising profile in wildlife conservation, education, and rewilding makes it a standout model in humane and science-based animal care in Bangladesh.
As the zoo continues to break new ground in species restoration, it stands as a beacon of hope for the conservation of Bangladesh’s rich and diverse wildlife.
