As mercury dips, Delhi zoo readies winter plan for animals

Under the plan, officials said young primates will be provided blankets, while thatches of bamboo jafri will be used to keep their enclosures warm

From introducing heaters and dehumidifiers to winter diets consisting of nuts and jaggery, the Delhi zoo has readied a winter plan for its animal inmates as temperatures continue to dip in the national capital.

Herbivores and birds are receiving paddy straw bedding, while carnivores and primates are being provided wooden planks and mats to keep them off the icy cold ground. (Representational image)

Under the plan, officials said young primates will be provided blankets, while thatches of bamboo jafri will be used to keep their enclosures warm.

Delhi’s minimum temperature dipped below 10°C for the first time this season on November 15. It was 8.7°C on November 17, which was the lowest November temperature in three years. It was 9.6°C on Tuesday, three degrees below normal. By end-December and early January, a minimum of below 5°C is not uncommon in Delhi, said weather experts.

The zoo also said it will carry out a species wise segregation, with adequate heating arrangements in places to cater to different species. The plan, including a change to winter diet, kicked in from November 1 onwards.

“A detailed species as well as age-specific plan has been prepared this year and the team has already started implementing it from November 1, based on the intensity of the chill,” zoo director Sanjeet Kumar said.

As part of the winter plan, dominant males in species such as the Manipuri deer which give borth typically during winter, are being segregated to reduce the pressure on mothers and newborns.

“Herbivores and birds are receiving paddy straw bedding, while carnivores and primates are being provided wooden planks and mats to keep them off the icy cold ground. Blankets have been issued for infant primates, one of the earliest interventions activated this month,” said Kumar, adding that in a number of enclosures, heaters and dehumidifiers have been placed too.

For the reptile house, special thermoregulation and humidity control systems have been put in place to maintain stable temperatures. Zoo officials said the winter specific diet mostly comprise nuts, jaggery and sugarcane, besides seasonal vegetables, nutrient supplements and immune boosters.

“To shield sensitive species from the cold draughts, the zoo has installed bamboo jafri thatches in bird enclosures and other vulnerable sections,” a zoo official said, adding that as mercury dips further, more layers of protection will be added.