To beat the heat: Fruits, ORS and air-coolers for inmates of Alipore Zoo

kolkata: As Kolkata have been sizzling at 40 to 42 degrees Celsius, authorities at the more than 147-year-old Alipore Zoo have come up with water sprinklers, special diets to beat dehydration, ice-blocks and bamboo sheds to keep the inmates of the zoological garden cool.

Tapas Das, Director of Alipore Zoological Garden said that the diet of animals in the zoo has not changed drastically but due to the extreme heat conditions certain changes have been made. “We provide food which is easily digestible, fruits, ORS to keep the moisture content in a balanced condition. The ORS is provided to ensure that they do not get dehydrated,” Das said.

“A lot goes into creating a diet chart for animals which includes application of “trial and error method,” he added.

The Director explained that the zookeepers have to observe the residues left at the end of the day to understand an animal’s likeability to the particular food item. He gave an instance of the diet of the elephants in the zoo. “We were giving dal and rice in the form of khichdi to the elephants but when they were not eating it, the authority changed it to soaked rice and dal,” he said.

Apart from changes in diet, the zoo authorities have also made infrastructural changes to help the animals. They have provided big animals including tiger, elephant and bear amongst others with a block of ice. “It is interesting how each of them reacts to it. The tigers usually sit near the ice to get relief from the heatwave while the bear and elephant have been seen playing with the ice cube,” he said.

The Zoo authorities started keeping ice cubes three days ago as a measure to combat rising temperatures in the city. As soon as it rains and the temperature decreases, the authorities will stop giving the ice block. They have also provided sprinklers and misters for birds and shed to keep the animals comfortable when there is scorching sun. Already fans and coolers are being used in the enclosures. Measures have been taken for having adequate water inside all enclosures through artificial methods. Water is sprayed onto the cages twice a day. Elephants are being bathed twice at water ponds.

The Kolkata Municipal Corporation has been asked to pump more water to the zoo as temperatures soared and animals tended to wallow in the small pools and baths that dot the garden. Bamboo mats have been placed over some enclosures to keep the place dark and cool. So far, none of the animals and birds has fallen ill due to the heat.The quantity of green vegetables has been increased for herbivores and fruits with more water content, such as watermelons and seasonal fruits, have been increased for birds, an official said. Veterinarians are on alert in case any animal falls ill. Besides, the zoo keepers are visiting all the enclosures thrice a day, the official said.

As the heat is often drier than usual, measures have been taken to maintain the humidity level at above 60 per cent in the enclosure for snakes so that the reptiles do not suffer from fluid loss, the official said. “The animals are also taking care of themselves. For example, a jaguar in Alipore Zoo hardly leaves his resting place under a shady tree and the crocodiles mostly remain in the water,” he said.