Air-coolers, special diet to keep animals, birds cool

Tirupati: Animals and birds in Sri Venkateswara Zoo Park have been facing severe heat with temperatures hovering around 43 degree Celsius even in the first week of June. The SV Zoo authorities have made special arrangements for zoo inmates to beat the heat.

The zoo has 1,116 animals with 32 enclosures in natural forest area at the foothills of Tirumala. Even though, the zoo officials had set up sprinklers, the animals are facing tough time to overcome the heat. The zoo officials had arranged air-coolers in few animal enclosures like lion and white tigers.

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Sri Venkateswara Zoo Park

• Officials arrange air coolers, showers, sprinklers and foggers for animals and birds
• Providing special diet to animals instead of regular one

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A rain gun is showering water for giraffe every day afternoon from 2 pm to 4 pm. Similarly, the zoo authorities have arranged few foggers in birds’ enclosure for keeping them cool. Giant water showers were arranged to bathe elephants in the mid noon and also workers are filling the pool with water for elephants to swim. Visitors are very curious to see bathing of elephants.

At present, the elephants are fed with cucumber, beetroot, sugarcane, carrot, banana and ragi balls instead of regular diet. Other wild animals like lion, tigers are fed with meat. Speaking to The Hans India, Zoo Curator Srinivasa Reddy said that they have taken several measures to keep animal and bird enclosures cool. The officials are ensuring sufficient drinking water to both animals and visitors.

More than 100 artificial water tanks were constructed to provide drinking water for animals in the zoo area. Zoo Veterinary Assistant Surgeon and animal caretaker SP Arun informed that animals can sustain up to 36 degree Celsius only. “We have to take special care of animals and birds so that they can sustain if the temperature crosses 36 degree Celsius,” he added.