Ahmedabad zoo steps up summer care as mercury soars

Ahmedabad: On Friday afternoon, as the sun beat down on the city taking the mercury past 39°C, the white tigress at the Kamla Nehru Zoological Garden knew what she needed. A cooling snooze in the pool inside her enclosure. Her caretakers have ensured that the pool remains full for her to take a dip and keep her body temperature regulated. Like her's, enclosures of all animals in the zoo have arrangements — ponds, showers, and coolers — to keep their inhabitants protected from the rising heat. These were put in place last week when the maximum temperature shot to 41.4°C, unusually high for early March.Zoo superintendent Dr Sharva Shah, told TOI that these measures will help prevent heat stroke and heat stress among animals and birds. While the big cats have coolers installed, the pond in the hippo's enclosure is cleaned and filled with fresh water regularly."In the afternoons, water is sprayed in the enclosures to keep the ambient temperature low. Summer also entails a special diet such watermelons, muskmelons, and sugarcane. ORS is also provided to prevent dehydration," said Shah. "The greenery in the periphery too helps keep the temperature cooler than the surroundings."The geological aeration method kept inhabitants of the nocturnal zoo cool. Cooler subterranean air is circulated to maintain stable temperatures, which is considerably lower than outside, said zoo authorities. If an animal is resting in a shaded area, visitors have been advised not to disturb them, as they may need the rest to regulate their body temperature.