Deer rest under a shade to escape the scorching sun at Nandankanan zoo on Tuesday. Picture by Ashwinee Pati

Bhubaneswar, June 5: Nandankanan zoological park authorities are taking steps to protect the animals from the searing heat.

The precautionary measures include special diets and ensuring that the animals get sufficient water. While the herbivorous animals such as sambar and deer are provided with watermelons and green coconut water, the bears are being served watermelons and cane juice to beat the heat.

The zoo authorities have erected sheds inside the 202 enclosures of the zoo to protect the animals from the heat. The thatched sheds covered with straw are being sprinked with water.

They are also ensuring that there is sufficient water in the pools around the enclosures.

For carnivorous animals such as tigers, the zoo authorities have ensured 24x7 water supply so that the water in the pools inside the enclosures do not get hot. The animals are also provided with ice blocks to lick for controlling the body temperature.

A water cooler has also been installed at the enclosure meant for squirrel monkeys. The chimpanzees and orangutans are taking bath twice a day. “We have taken all the precautionary measures for the animals. A team of doctors are doing a health check up of the animals twice everyday. Glucose and oral rehydration salts (ORS) mixed in water is being served to the animals,” said deputy director of the zoo Chitta Ranjan Mishra.

Apart from that, all animals and birds are given anti-stress medicines to prevent dehydration and other stresses caused by extreme heat conditions. Despite several measures taken by the zoo authorities, sources said one silver pheasant died of heat stroke two days ago.

Sources at the zoo said animals were also vulnerable to heat strokes because they lived in a captive habitat. “In the wild, these animals live in dense forest, which is cooler than the captive atmosphere. Most of the animals in the enclosures live in an artificial habitat very different from their original, which raises the chances of heat stroke,” said a vet at the zoo.

Set up in 1960, the zoo has 1973 animals of 121 species, which includes 55 species of birds, 42 species of mammals and 24 species of reptiles.