Rain check for zoo

PATNA: With monsoon hitting the city, the Patna zoo is gearing up to take care of its animals and visitors.

“The hoeing and liming of the soil have been completed,” said zoo director Abhay Kumar, adding, that it is imperative to check the growth of germs in the soil which is likely to proliferate, given the temperature and moisture content in the atmosphere this season.

Night-houses and cubicles have been disinfected, using blow gun fire. Turmeric powder is used round the year to disinfect enclosures. The frequency is increased during the rainy season. The moist air spreads infectious diseases among animals. A vaccination programme has already been completed. Lions and tigers have been given shampoo baths to minimise the possibility of skin infections.

Enclosures of deer, giraffe and zebra, especially feeding areas, have been covered with sand. Mud formation in enclosures of deer is the prime reason for the spread of diseases, pointed out deputy zoo director, Praveen Kumar.

Grasses and bushes tend to come up fast in and around the enclosures this season. These areas are being cleaned regularly to keep mosquitoes and flies at bay.

Water collection is another menace. The drainage system has been cleaned in advance. Rainwater is being diverted towards the lake to avoid water-logging and also to ensure the lake has enough water.

Due to leakage of the wall between gate number 2 and Patel Chowk, water enters the zoo premises from outside, leading to water-logging. Till now only a few temporary measures to restrict the entry of water could be taken up. Now, a proposal to construct a pucca structure to eliminate the problem permanently has been taken up, said an official. Pump sets have been installed to drain out water as and when the need arises.

But one good thing about the monsoon is that there is no dearth of fodder. Fresh grass is everywhere, providing a welcome relief from summer’s scarcity.

Finally, for visitors, there are two pucca shelters and three railway halts to provide cover during rains. “At times, they look inadequate in comparison to the increasing number of visitors,” said an official. So they have decided to add three more temporary sheds.