Summer has hit its peak time of the season and the condition of the city and its people can be observed changing drastically. The heat stroke has claimed 7 lives, in last three days and the same suffering can be seen amongst the animals.
City’s one of the main attractions ‘Maharaj Bagh Zoo’ is also a shelter for injured as well as the orphaned animals from the nearby forests, the zoo is trying to tackle this season and keep its animals on a safer side and away from exposure which might cause them fatal injuries.
The zoo has 33 deer, 5 leopards, one tiger and more than 6-7 species of birds. Each of these animal enclosures has totally different facilities made available depending on the habitat of the animal and to aid them a comfortable stay. The leopards are provided with coolers in each of their enclosure with a green net having 5% of transparency to the sunlight providing the leopards a cool atmosphere. The cages of leopards are even showered two to three times a day to keep the surrounding as cool as possible; drinking water is changed thrice a day as well.
Compared to these enclosures the area of deer in sq ft is much larger than that of leopards and hence cannot be installed with coolers or a facility of green net. Still the area inside the enclosure has lot many trees for the animal to stay under the shadow of; same has been provided for the only female tigress in the whole zoo. Besides this, a lake and an artificial bamboo forests has been availed to the tigress to stay hydrated or to hide under.
In previous years, deaths of 2 emu have been recorded because of heat stroke after which the facilities are even more strengthened. Regular checkups on the animals, their enclosure and surroundings are carried out each day, said Sunil Bawaskar, officer incharge Maharaj Bagh Zoo.
