As the mercury levels in the city hover around 40-degrees, it’s unlikely that the city would have an immediate respite from the heat wave-like conditions. Meanwhile, authorities at Zoological Garden, Alipore, have implemented a number of summer care measures to beat the heat and keep the animals in the enclosures as comfortable as possible.
These measures range from installing water sprinklers inside animal enclosures to giving animals recurrent water showers, introducing a liquid diet, and placing air coolers and fans outside cages. “Enclosures have artificial water pools in them for the animals to drench and submerge themselves.
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Once the water gets hot, we refill the pools. We have also installed more sprinklers which are used to bathe them multiple times throughout the day,” Partha Debnath, assistant director, Zoological Garden, Alipore, Kolkata, told The Statesman.
Sprinklers and water pipelines have been installed by the authorities throughout all small and large cages, allowing animals to shower themselves a few more times every day. In open enclosures, water pipes with hose taps have been installed so that animals may cool themselves by sitting beneath the water.
Regular showers assist in regulating their body temperatures. Fans have been installed in the reptiles’ enclosures. “Crocodiles can adjust their body temperatures accordingly with their surroundings; they have been staying in the water most of the time.
Animals who require a cooler environment, like kangaroos, have air coolers inside their enclosures,” added Mr Debnath. A variety of bird cages, including those for cassowaries, macaws, and lovebirds, have been covered with shades. Major changes have also been brought in the diet of the animals.
Chimpanzees are being given lassi and bael (fruit), and birds are fed a variety of summer fruits with high water content like watermelons. The big cats are under the supervision of veterinarians and the amount of meat in their diet is being reduced or altered.
The Indian black bears are given a specific mixture of curd and rice because they are hairy, heat-sensitive creatures. “ORS has been included into practically every animal’s diet and is incorporated with their food,” said Mr Debnath.
