Tirupati’s Sri Venkateswara Zoo Park a visitors’ delight

Tirupati: Sri Venkateswara (SV) Zoological Park in Tirupati, which is unique with its mythological theme highlighting the role of wild animals in mythology, becomes a fun time during summer.

While effects of summer seem predominant across the temple city, the zoo park has a slightly different story to tell. It’s location away from the hustle and bustle of the city usually keeps its temperature a degree less than the city’s core temperature.

In addition to these, the efforts made by the zoo officials to keep the zoo inmates cool as well as the visitors, who can spend some time with their family members playing under the rain gun during scorching summer months being lauded by many.

During the summer vacation, the number of visitors visiting the zoo has been increasing and they find the zoo a worthy place to have some quality time. As a steady mist of water is sprayed using sprinklers and foggers, much to the delight of visitors especially children, who enjoy seeing the animals play in their enclosures getting relief from the summer woes.

Sprinklers have been arranged in all enclosures and at walking paths and water will be released two times a day through these sprinklers at 11 am and around 4 pm in the evening. This helps in bringing down the mercury levels around the animal enclosures along with other measures like coolers, rain guns etc.,

The Assistant Conservator of Forests (ACF) P Dhanaraj told The Hans India that sprinklers have been arranged for carnivores and herbivores in their enclosures and coolers at cages. Also, they have covered the area around enclosures with green shade net which reduces 50 percent of sunlight thereby helps in reducing radiation.

Showers are being provided to elephants with rain guns fitted on top and water ponds are also there for them to enjoy cool splash whereas birds will get relief from foggers and vetiver root mats.

“Because of green cover and other reasons, the temperature here will be one degree less than what it would be in the city. We have been increasing green cover every year and now more than 20 hectares of green cover is there now which provides pleasantness to the visitors as well,” Dhanaraj maintained.

Donors also contributed equipment worth Rs 85 lakh to make summer arrangements and the officials were looking more under animal adoption scheme. The inmates of zoo will have a different diet plan during summer to cope with the heat.

“They will get food supplements. Glucose, electrolytes will be given to them along with seasonal fruits like watermelon, cucumber etc.,” said Dhanaraj. The animals will be kept inside from display for two hours in the afternoon during summer to protect them from severe heat, he added.

By V Pradeep Kumar