As temperatures in Vidarbha soar past 44°C, turning cities like Nagpur, Chandrapur, and Akola into some of the hottest places in India, the region’s wildlife is facing extreme heat, with zoos stepping up to protect their animals from the sweltering conditions.
“At Maharajbagh Zoo in Nagpur, special arrangements are being made to shield the animals, including big cats like tigers and leopards, along with bears, deer, and even crocodiles. We’ve installed coolers, and for the birds, we have added multivitamins in their meals to prevent heatstroke,” said Abhijeet Motghare, zoo manager. The zoo has also put green nets over the big cat enclosures and tied wet gunny sacks around the cages to provide cooling relief.
In addition, water is being sprayed continuously throughout the day, and bamboo plantations have been added to provide shade for animals like chital, neelgai, and black buck. “These steps help maintain their body temperature,” the manager explained. For the bears, fountains run at regular intervals to cool them down.
Zoo keepers are also providing hydrating fruits such as watermelon and adding glucose to the animals’ drinking water to ensure they stay hydrated in the extreme heat. “These measures became essential when temperatures started rising in early April. Vidarbha’s climate is becoming more extreme each year. It’s not just humans who need relief, our animals do too,” he said.
As the heatwave continues to grip the region, Maharajbagh Zoo’s efforts reflect the growing concern for the welfare of wildlife, highlighting the need for increased attention to the survival of animals in the face of changing climatic conditions.
Read Latest Gujarat News on theliveahmedabad.com
👉 Click here to read the latest Gujarat news on TheLiveAhmedabad.com