With the coming of scorching summer, the authorities of Bhagawan Birsa Biological Park are all set to provide the basic summer facilities to the inmates. Authorities are providing air coolers along with thatches to the animals and birds to beat the heat.
Initiatives have also been taken by the senior authorities to provide shade to caged animals by using thatches on the cages. Each enclosure has been set up with air coolers. Basically, the carnivores have been provided dual facilities of breezy cooler along with the thatches, whereas herbivores are provided shades with thatches only.
Zoo authorities are also providing juicy fruits like watermelon and cucumber to some of the animals like monkeys and bears. Few animals like the elephant have been given continuous water supply for bathing and other activities to protect itself from summer.
Bhola Mahato, one of the caretakers at the zoo mentioned, “Some of the animals are also given glucose with water during the summer”.
While talking about precautions needed in summers, Dr Ajay Kumar mentioned, “The animals which used to live in herd don’t need the extra care related to shade but needs proper diets. On the other side animals like monkeys, bear, elephant and langur are given solute electrolytes fruits like watermelon and cucumber which contains 90 per cent water.”
As the sweltering summer is seemed bit uncomfortable for some zoo inmates, some of the semi-aquatic animals were comfortable. “The only requirement of the reptiles at zoo in the month of summer is scheduled diet”, said Dr Kumar.
Animals like Elephants and bears are provided with additional diet in addition to the routine diets as the days are generally long and tiring. Every enclosure of the zoo have been provided separate caretaker. Some of the enclosures have the Grass thatches on the above while some of the retiring cells have been provided with mats made of grasses.
Birsa Zoo authorities are taking special care of three one and half month old baby leopard cats. In terms of their diet, they are being given calcium along with chicken. Baby leopards are kept in enclosures covered with thatches.
Meanwhile, Zoo director, A.K Patra mentioned, “On the basis of animal exchange programme we are suppose to bring ostriches from the Tamil Nadu veterinary college, hippos from Nandan kanan Zoological Park and Tigers from the Itanagar after the rainy season this year”.
With the sudden rainfall on Saturday afternoon some of the zoo animals appeared to be over active. The visitors of the zoo were facing bit problem while others enjoyed the rainfall.