The oldest lion of the zoo named Apu died at 24 on Thursday, according to sources in the zoo. He was suffering from dysentery for the last couple of weeks.

A zoo official told this correspondent that lions usually survive for 16 to 19 years. But Apu survived for more five years. He also informed this correspondent that Apu was brought here from Dhaka zoo in 1993 when he was only 14 years.

There are two more lions here named Raj and Laxshi. One year ago they gave birth to two offsprings. One of the offsprings was shifted to Rajshahi zoo while the other one would be sent to the Safari Park at Chakaria upazila in Cox's Bazar district soon.

However, Apu was buried inside the zoo. His skeleton will be preserved at the proposed museum here.

Two Chitra deer of the zoo also died on Thursday. Earlier, a wild cock and a monkey died.

Another tigress named Shankari has been fighting for life. She was operated upon last week. She was suffering from breast cancer and is yet to be cured.

Chittagong zoo was set up in 1989 with only 16 wild animals. The collection of animals stood at 250 in 2000, but at present it came down to 160.

Meanwhile, the officials and employees of the zoo are allegedly supplying sub-standard food to animals. They serve 'inferior quality' meat, vegetable and other food to wild lives. Inferior quality food and lack of proper care have allegedly caused death of the wild lives.

During his visit to the zoo this correspondent found that hundreds of animals were still starving at 12 noon on the day.