Chhatbir zoo gears up to beat the chill

“All measures are being taken to provide the best facilities to different types of animal families in the zoo to make them feel comfortable during winter,” said Chhatbir Zoo Field Director,Basanta Rajkumar.

The zoo authorities are providing substitute seasonal diets,which help the animals stay warm. The quantity of meat being provided to the big cat family has also been increased.

A caretaker in the zoo said that daily diet has also been changed for elephants,hippos and monkeys. “During winters,bears,elephants,hippos and monkeys are given papaya instead of banana,which keeps them warm. We also feed sugarcane to the elephants and honey to chimpanzees,” said the caretaker.

For reptiles including snakes,pythons,lizards and crocodiles,the arrangements are quite different. They have been kept in a specially maintained warm room in the zoo hospital. Normally reptiles go into hibernation during winters. There is no metabolic activity during the hibernation,but the animals need to be keep themselves warm.

Special shelters with mats and thatched roofs have been made for the deer enclosure. An employee said that not all the animals need special attention during winters as they adapt themselves to different seasons,“Animals like the bear enjoy the cold,” he added.