Specialised showers, coolers to keep wildlife cool at Chhatbir this summer

With weathermen predicting intense heat wave in March this year, AC manufacturing units have already gone into an overdrive expecting higher sales. At the Mahendra Chaudhary Zoological Park, better known as Chhatbir Zoo, meanwhile, authorities have already begun work on their plan to keep the wildlife comfortable during the summer.

Air coolers, sprinklers, pools are being readied to tackle the intense heat and authorities are giving final touches to a specially designed shower system for the two pachyderms housed at the facility.

Resembling a car wash to some extent, zoo authorities have constructed a structure where elephants can take a shower and enjoy the summer not afar from the visitors.

“Like every pachyderm, Maya and Hema, like to play with water and wallow in dirt. Sprinkers have been upgraded with soft pillars installed for a gentle rub,” said a zoo official.

The authorities said every enclosure in the zoo has the facility of fans, coolers and heater for the animals and are used accordingly. By March-end fans will be operational. As the loo season begins soon after, coolers too are made operational.

All hands on deck

“While zoo authorities are busy tallying accounts and books before the March-end, electricians are on their regular duty to ensure all the fans and coolers are in working condition before March end,” said another zoo official.

Also making their debut in summers will be tiger cubs Abhay and Aryan born last Diwali from the mating of white tigress Gauri and Arjun. Both cubs are healthy and will be released into the enclosure for public viewing in April tentatively.

In other developments at the zoo, the e-carts are back in service after a mishap last month.