With the winter striking to its peak and temperature plummeting to sub 10 degree Celsius, the Birsa Munda Biological Park authorities have begun giving special care to inmates. Most of the enclosures for animals and birds are installed with heaters and warm air blowers. Straw and hay beds are arranged and floors are covered with jute mats to provide warmth to the inmates.
Veterinary Doctor at the Zoo, Dr Ajay Kumar said that windows and ventilators are covered with curtains, straws, jute and gunny mats to keep the heat out. Bonfire is arranged for the whole night outside the enclosures and night houses. Herbivores stay out and keep on moving, so heaters are helpful for them only during the night. This is why they are provided with special supplements rich in vitamin A, vitamin D3 and vitamin E.
Mahua, having very high colorific value, is also included in their diets to keep them warm. Especially elephant, the largest herbivore mammal, is fed with huge amount of Mahua. Bonfire for them starts from evening. Carnivores are given more amount of meat. Most of the snakes, being cold blooded, are in hibernation. Artificial burrows and tunnels were made for them. High power bulbs and temperature regulators are instated for keeping the optimum temperature. The bird cages are covered with straws. Water animals, not that prone to cold, have high power lights available for their warmth, he said.
Kumar further said that Ranchi zoo is the home of one of the oldest lionesses in India. She is 24 and has been kept isolated since 3 years for special care. She is provided with very warm enclosure, additional vital supplements and fed on soft and boneless meat. Birsa zoo surely seems to be a cozy place for its inmates during the winters. The zoo became the host of ‘Training for Capacity Building Programme of Animal keepers of Zoo’. A 5 day event (17-21) participated by 30 animal keepers from 25 zoos of Eastern India.