Zoo animals get coolers, special diet to beat the heat

NEW DELHI: Providing animals with desert coolers, special pools to wallow in, water-rich diet of fruits like watermelon and electrolyte fluids are some of the special steps taken by the Delhi zoo authorities to bring relief from the searing heat.

Apart from special arrangements in their enclosures, significant changes in diet, like 'rice-kheer' replacing bread, and fluid intake of animals and birds are also being made in the National Zoological Park, which is home to around 110 different species.

"At first, we are in the process of installing coolers which will be run all day long inside enclosures of animals including tigers, jaguars, lions and elephants, and birds. This will help ensure air circulation," zoo veterinary official N Panneer Selvam said.

Increased intake of glucose, electrolyte fluids, vitamin C and fruit-rich diet are also important to restore electrolyte balance, zoo officials said.

According to Selvam, herbivores such as deers, buffaloes and chinkaras will be given fruits like cucumber, watermelon which are rich in vitamins. Other than that, 'rice-kheer' will replace bread in the daily diet.

Among the carnivores including the big cats, meat-intake has been reduced by a few kilogrammes while water intake has been doubled for all animals.

The officials say that as the day temperature is hovering close to 40 degrees Celsius, animals are more prone to diarrhoea and heat stroke.

"Our veterinarians are conducting regular check-ups to detect illness at an early stage," Selvam said.