Hyderabad: Nehru Zoo gears up to protect animals from sweltering heat

Hyderabad: As summer makes its presence felt across the State, officials at the Nehru Zoological Park in the city are busy putting in place the summer protocol to protect the animals from the sweltering heat. With temperatures rising over the last one week, arrangements and precautionary measures are being taken to prevent sunstrokes in the […]

Hyderabad: As summer makes its presence felt across the State, officials at the Nehru Zoological Park in the city are busy putting in place the summer protocol to protect the animals from the sweltering heat.

With temperatures rising over the last one week, arrangements and precautionary measures are being taken to prevent sunstrokes in the animals. According to Zoo Park Curator S Rajashekhar, the measures will help the animals prevent summer stress and heat strokes in the months between March and June.

As part of the measures, air coolers are being set up in the animal enclosures for monkeys, tigers, lions, jaguars and leopards. These are in addition to the air-conditioners and exhaust fans installed in the nocturnal animal house.

“Mist sprayers, sprinklers and small rain guns have been installed in all enclosures and animals can cool themselves under these,” he said.

Other steps to provide cooling to animal enclosures include ‘thunga grass’, gunny cloths and ‘Kashkash thattis’.

“The thattis and grass are watered at least four times a day to keep the enclosures cool,” the officials said.

Green shade nets have been placed over the roofs of bird enclosures and windows of the night houses. Herbivorous animals are being protected by shady shelters. To help the animals maintain body temperature, they are provided with seasonal fruits like watermelon, muskmelon, citrus fruits, especially to the apes, monkeys, birds and bears. They are also being provided with ample protected drinking water, in addition to water troughs kept at various places in the zoo for the free ranging animals and birds. Frozen fruits are also being provided to monkeys and bears.

Glucon-D, electrolyte powder, vitamin C and B-Complex supplements are also being provided to ensure the animals are protected from summer stress.

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