Kamala’s playtime at Sri Venkateswara Zoological Park (SVZP) begins few minutes past the menagerie’s opening hours! Its lethargic demeanour turns into a cat-like playfulness, as a steady mist of water is sprayed through an array of sprinklers and foggers, attracting a slew of visitors to the ‘Royal Bengal Tiger’ enclosure. The entire playtime lasts for about 5-10 minutes, before it is repeated at regular intervals throughout the day, eliciting giggles from the children and adults alike.
This entire set up, aimed at alleviating the summer woes of animals, was made possible by the contributions from animal lovers and dedication by SVZP management. Officials have established 1000 foggers, 600 sprinklers, 42 coolers and several other equipments, across all the enclosures of zoological park. “Our summer management strategy received a boost from the donations and enabled use to create better and cooler climatic conditions for the animals. Lush greenery is quite visible in the enclosures owing to these measures. We are also focusing on providing a different diet for the animals to help them cope with the summer heat,” maintained Zoo Curator Y. Srinivasulu Reddy. Speaking to The Hindu , Mr. Reddy attributed to the flourish of water to heavy rains from the previous year, which had increased the inflow to Kalyani Dam and raise groundwater levels at the zoological park.
“To ensure a judicious usage, we are collecting the water into a centralised sump and then supplying it to all the enclosures, including the moats and day paddocks. The elephants also have their own pool to enjoy a cool splash,” he added.
In addition to this, officials are also setting up water points and shade shelters (covering more than 33,000 square feet) to help the visitors, particularly the pilgrims who travel barefoot to Tirumala. About Rs.15 lakh worth zoo development works, including the summer arrangements, have been contributed by donors.
