As people reel under acute summers in the Capital, elephants, deer and rhinos at the National Zoological Park are having a jolly good time.
With new clay-mud pools being created for the animals, the Delhi Zoo authorities are leaving no stone unturned to ensure that the animals get adequate comfort.
Officials of the zoo said the mud pools created for them are nearly four to five feet deep. The pools measure 20x15 metres approximately. It has been created to provide some respite from the scorching sun.
“The muddy water of the pool will in a way provide a ‘sun-protection mask’ for the animals. Thus they will not have to face the direct rays of the sun,” said Riyaz Ahmed Khan, curator of the Delhi Zoo.
The main objective, as zoo officials said, was to keep the body temperature of the animals in control. The dust bath will keep the intense heat at bay. Besides, the raw clay-mud also emanates relatively cool winds. Even if the animals don’t go to shower there body temperature will remain under control. “Usually due to intense heat, skin of the animals starts shrinking and also bleed. The new clay-mud pools which have been created will prevent this,” Khan added.
Besides, the zoo official’s plan of adding glass shields to the white tiger’s cage has also nearly been completed. “The plan which was started three to four months ago will get completed in a couple of days. Thereafter, we will let loose the white tigers in their new cage. Three mirrors have been fitted in their cage so that the visitors can get a closer look of the white tigers. At first, the visitors could only view the tigers from far distance; that is one side of the moat. Now people, especially children, will be able to see the tiger at a few feet’s distance”, said the zoo curator.
He also said they
were taking adequate precautions to ensure that the glass does not break.