Bhubaneswar, April 25: The director of Nandankanan zoo today sent an official communication to initiate special measures for the animals to save them from heat.
The herbivore enclosures are being covered with thatched roofs and sprinkled with water everyday, while the water pools inside the enclosures of carnivorous animals such as tigers and lions are being provided with round-the-clock flowing water supply to ensure they get a cool drink
A senior zoo official today said that the amount of meat served to carnivores had also been decreased to ensure that their body metabolism worked better.
Other animals, such as bears, are also being given watermelon and sugarcane to beat the heat. Herbivores, such as sambars and deer, are also being given green coconut water and watermelons.
"Our vets have been asked to be on alert because of the rising temperature. Anti-depressants are being mixed with water and served to the birds. Glucose and oral rehydration salts (ORS) mixed with water are being served," said deputy director of the zoo Jayant Dash.
He also said that people involved in manual labour at the zoo were being asked to work less under the sun.
The number of inmates at Nandanakanan zoo has touched3,000 this month, which is the highest for the zoo since it was set up in 1960.
The zoo now has a repository of 154 species.
"The primates are very vulnerable to heat. So, we have installed an air-cooler at the enclosure of the chimpanzees. The caretakers have been asked to change the water for the inmates frequently," said another zoo official.
Lion dies
Laxman, a 23-year-old lion, today died at Nandankanan zoo, and the death has brought down the lion population to 14.
Laxman was one of the oldest inmates of the zoo.
Zoo officials said the animal had not been keeping well over the past few weeks and was not taking food for the past two days.
"The lion was born in May 1994 and was among one of the major attractions for tourists. The lion died of old-age-related problems this afternoon," said Dash.
Now, the zoo is left with 14 lions - six males, seven females and one cub.
