While the carnivores at the Delhi Zoo are fed up of the high 'caloric' beef, the zoo officials also keep them on fast and liquid diet once every week. "The carnivores are made to fast every Friday. They are only served glucose and water throughout the day.
We do this so as to ensure that their body remains fit and there is no deposition of excessive fat. This also ensures that their digestive system remains healthy," said Riyaz Khan, the curator of the Delhi Zoo. The eggetarians -- including chimpanzees, monkeys and lizards to name a few -- consume about 130 boiled eggs per day.
When the heat is intense, the zoo authorities also feed the animals with seasonal fruits like watermelon, sweet lime and banana in order to keep their body temperature in control. Nearly 150 kg of fruits is bought to feed these animals on a daily basis. It is the bananas which top the list with over 97 kg being served to most of the animals, the likes of which are monkeys and chimpanzees. Interestingly, rhinoceros, hippopotamus and elephants are also given bananas.
"While we are taking adequate care of the animals in this hot and humid weather, and ensuring that their external environment remains cool by providing them air conditioners, coolers and now even clay mud pools. It's equally important to ensure that the food they are given during summer keeps them cool from the inside as well. For this, not only do we feed the animals with seasonal fruits, but depending from animal to animal we serve them different kinds of food.
"For instance, the deer are given chilled kheer made of milk and rice and raw aamla. The chimpanzees are given chilled Frooti," said Riyaz khan, the zoo curator. "Frooti is given to chimpanzees. Some times we resort to giving them the drink when they are to be given medicine, but in case the animal sees us lacing the drink they refuse to have it," said Dr N Panneer Sevlam, Veterinary officer at the Delhi Zoo.