Special measures to keep Zoo inmates warm, this winter

Kolkata: The authorities of Alipore Zoological Gardens (AZG) are gearing up to make special arrangements for keeping the animals warm during the winter season.

"We will start making proper arrangements inside enclosures from the last week of November," said Asis Kumar Samanata, director of AZG.

Being cold-blooded, snakes need special care in winter. They can't regulate their body temperature as per the climate. Thus, blankets will be kept inside the enclosures containing snakes.

For birds and monkeys, special layers of grass have been laid on the cemented floors.

According to sources, the elephants at the zoo will be given an extra dose of jaggery.

"There are over 100 species. Depending upon their adaptation habits, we will make arrangements accordingly. We will also keep heaters in the enclosures (if required)," the official added.

The Alipore Zoological Garden, also known as Alipore Zoo or Calcutta Zoo, is India's oldest zoological park. It is also one of the most popular tourist hotspots in the city.

The zoo was thrown open to the public on October 2 after remaining closed for around six months.

Visitors have to buy online tickets from the official website (www.kolkatazoo.in/new) to enter the zoo premises. They will have to pass through a sanitisation channel at the entrance area before heading for the ticket counter.

Two counters are open for verification of tickets.

Once the verification is done, security guards will conduct the thermal screening of the visitors.

At present, the footfall of visitors is between 400 and 600 on a daily basis. Earlier, the footfall of visitors used to be between 3,000 and 4,000 on a normal day. During festive seasons such as Durga

Puja or Christmas (yuletide), the per day footfall used to be between 6,000 and 10,000.