Zoo takes extra care of animals in this heat

With consistent high temperature in the capital, the zoo authorities are taking extra precautions for animals in its premises.

The zoo had implemented measures as part of its annual summer plans. With the heat wave here, the authorities are now taking extra care for the animals and birds.

“We are giving the animals and birds extra doses of glucose in the heat. This helps them cope with the extreme heat conditions,” said Riaz Ahmed Khan, curator, Delhi Zoo.
The authorities have now changed the diet of the animals. Lions and tigers are being 2 kg less meat than before.

For other animals like elephants and rhinocerous, the authorities have planned to bathe them frequently.

“There are ponds inside the premises. The animals are stationed near to the water bodies so that they can take frequent baths. Without frequent baths, their skin suffer from lesions in this heat. This is for animals like rhinocerous and elephants,” said Khan.

The zoo authorities have also put coolers, fans, sprinklers in the animal and bird enclosures to provide relief.   

To allow more movement of animals, more trees have been planted. Some enclosures like that of chimpanzees have been given wooden platforms and ropes for their activity.
“For the deer enclosure, we have planted more trees so that they can move around in the shade,” said Khan.

The zoo has also put on display the newly procured King Cobra from Kota for its visitors. There are more attractions like four-horned antelopes and water monitor lizards in an animal exhange programme for its visitors.