City zoo takes slew of measures to save animals from dying

Already facing criticism over the safety and upkeep of animals due to the reported deaths of spotted deer, the officials at National Zoological Park have begun preparation for the safety and upkeep of animals in the coming months of monsoon as well as in the remaining summer months.

According to Riyaz Khan, the zoo curator, the facility of sprinklers which has been introduced for the first time in the beats that house deer, will further be increased in the coming months. Khan said: “As the heat this time is more, for the first time we have introduced the facility of sprinklers in the beats that houses deer. Earlier, to tackle heat there used to be ponds but now there are ponds as well as sprinklers.”

When asked by Millennium Post that whether the introduction of sprinklers in the beats of the deer aimed at curbing infections caused from stagnant water in ponds, Khan rejected the claim saying that authorities at the zoo pump out water when needed.

Besides sprinklers, more makeshift ponds have also been created for water intensive animals like elephants and rhinoceros. According to officials, the digging for mass plantation of trees has begun at the zoo.  “The trees will be planted during the Van Mahotsav celebrated in the first week of July,” stated the official.

Efforts have also been made to ensure the comfort of most popular animals at the zoo like the  white tiger. Housed at Beat 8, the zoo authorities will be growing grass in a bid to green the enclosure that presently Vijay (the male white tiger), Kalpana (the female white tiger), along with four cubs Neeta, Meeta, Reeta (female cubs) and Tipu (male). According to Khan, the ground has been leveled and grass will be put in two to three weeks when the monsoon arrives.