Hyderabad: With the temperature steadily rising over the past couple of weeks, the Nehru Zoological Park has taken several measures to protect the animals from the sweltering heat.
According to the zoo curator, V V L Subhadra Devi, adequate summer arrangements and precautionary measures have been taken to prevent sunstroke.
“These measures will help prevent summer stress and heat stroke for the wild animals, birds and reptiles from March to mid-June 2021,” she said.
More than 50 air-coolers have been set up in animal enclosures that have monkeys, tigers, lions, jaguars, and leopards, 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.
Photo: Tharun Adurugatla
The zoo authorities have also taken several steps to provide passive cooling to animal enclosures, like having 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 zoo officials said. About 80 per cent of the windows, ventilators and doors of enclosures have been covered in this manner.
Green shade nets have been placed over the roofs of birds’ enclosures and window doors of the night houses. Herbivorous animals are being protected by shady shelters.
The animals have also been provided with seasonal fruits like watermelon, muskmelon, citrus fruits, especially to apes, monkeys, birds and bears. The animals 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.
The zoo has also gone to take extra care by providing Glucon-D, electrolyte powder, vitamin C and B-Complex supplements to ensure the animals are protected from summer stress.
Photo: Anand Dharmana
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