The Nawab Wajid Ali Shah Zoological Park is all geared up for the winter months with amenities in place to keep the animals safe and toasty in the chilly winter nights.
The carnivore and deer enclosures have been equipped with para grass for better insulation of heat. Wooden planks have been installed on the floors in the enclosures of tigers, lions, leopards and other carnivores for the same purpose.
“Peanuts, groundnuts and mustard seeds have been incorporated in the diets of deer and vitamin and mineral content have been increased in the diets of all the animals,” said Utkarsh Shukla, deputy director, zoo.
“The monkeys, chimpanzees and other primates have been given blankets to keep them warm and are being given more eggs in their meals. We have hung up thick curtains in some of the birds’ enclosures so that they are not impacted by the cold breeze that blows at night,” he added.
“The birds have also had seasonal fruits incorporated in their diets. The giraffes are also being given seasonal fruits along with their diet of grass,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}“The birds have also had seasonal fruits incorporated in their diets. The giraffes are also being given seasonal fruits along with their diet of grass,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}The serpentarium, which houses about 40-50 snakes at the moment, has been furnished with three heaters, and the temperature is kept between 25 and 30 degrees Celsius.
Shukla said that if the weather gets even colder then heaters would be installed in some of the carnivore, primate enclosures as well. “We try to block the cross-ventilation, so that the cold waves do not harm the animals.”
The zoo also has a room set up as a critical care unit in case animals fall sick and require immediate medical attention. They also have firewood at hand, in order to light bonfires in case the temperature drops to sub-zero levels in the coming months.