Summer is back and the temperature is soaring. But, the animals at the century-old Mysuru zoo are staying ‘cool’ literally. Isn’t that amazing?
Thanks to widespread greenery and steps taken to build up chilly environs, the animals are beating the heat in style. The zoo authorities have taken sufficient care to help animals tackle the heat since they usually get stressed and dehydrated in hot weather.
Zoo executive director B.P. Ravi told The Hindu , “This summer, more water sprinklers and jets have been installed inside enclosures. Also, small ponds inside enclosures of large animals are kept filled, so that they don’t suffer from dehydration. Fruits like watermelon, muskmelon, oranges, sweet lemons and grapes are fed to some species to help them cool off.”
The holding rooms of anacondas and wallabies have been equipped with air coolers, while ceiling fans are run continuously in the holding rooms of other animals.
The zoo’s assistant director and chief veterinarian, Suresh Kumar, said the roofs of holding rooms of anacondas and wallabies had been covered by reed grass drenched with water to sustain the temperature. Also, ‘gunny bag cooling’ (bags soaked in water) had been done on the roofs. Ice blocks are dipped inside the ponds of Himalayan bears daily to produce extra cooling.
As the zoo is surplus in water with its borewells yielding more water and the Karanji Lake overfilled, the ponds are constantly brimming for the animals to cool off, he said.
It’s a treat to watch the animals, especially the tiger cubs, playing in overflowing ponds.
The zoo keepers make it a point to spray water on elephants twice a day. Water is showered on giraffes from jets installed in their enclosure.
Abundant tree cover inside the 100-acre zoo
Watermelon and muskmelon fed to animals daily
Ice blocks dropped in ponds for bears
Air coolers to help overcome the heat
