Van Vihar National Park administration is gearing up to make the park summer friendly for the enclosed animals. To give respite to animals from blazing sun, the authorities are all set put up air coolers, sprinklers, foggers, khus curtains from April 1 in animal enclosures to help them to beat the harsh summer heat. During summers, the city reels under extreme heat with temperatures breaching 45 degrees Celsius mark.
With green cover on decline and depleting water bodies, sloth bear, four horned antelopes, deer, Neelgai, Sambar housed in sprawling National park are exposed to blazing sun. Thus to combat the heat wave, the administration is making elaborate arrangements to bring down the mercury level and effected significant changes in the menu of animals and birds to keep them hydrated and healthy.
The national park administration will make arrangement for water holes inside the animal enclosures and install air coolers and place khus curtains in their cages to keep the heat at bay. The administration will also ensure regular filling of moats with water in the park.
The Park Director Surya Prakash Tiwari said, Van Vihar will install water coolers, Khus curtains in enclosures from coming April. “We will make arrangement of green grass for herbivores. As far as water is concerned, there is no shortage. We have bores and water tankers are arranged to meet further requirement.”
Water sprinklers will be installed for the free animals. Artificial water ponds have been made for the migratory birds as they survive on algae layered water so they will recharged with water. There are a few water holes for the un-caged animals at the National park, they too will be re-charged.
Herbivores animals take rest under trees and bushes, while for carnivore, water holes are re-charged at regular intervals during the day, the director informed. Besides, diet of animals will be designed as per the recommendation of veterinary doctors, he added.
