Officials said 24-hour drinking water will be available in every zoo enclosure. (representative)

Bhubaneswar:

In view of the prevailing heat wave weather in Odisha, the Nandankannan Zoo authorities have made special arrangements to protect the animals in the zoo from the effects of the hot summer.

Special arrangements such as air coolers, sprinklers and fruits have been made at the zoo to help animals mitigate the severe heat wave, officials said on Wednesday.

Water sprinklers were installed in the enclosures for elephants, sambar and deer, and coolers were provided for chimpanzees and gibbons. In addition, ice water baths are provided for the bears.

Manoj V Nair, director of Nandankanan Zoo, said that on the advice of veterinary doctors, the animals are being provided with super fruits such as watermelon and sugarcane and anti-pyretic medicines.

“We also ensure 24-hour drinking water supply in every enclosure in the zoo. We also ensure water supply in the pools so that the animals can bathe and escape the heat,” he said.

The fence is covered with bamboo thatch and reed curtains to protect the animals from the intense heat. Zoo officials said the bamboo thatch is regularly sprayed with water.

The zoo has 14 drinking kiosks at different locations for visitors to use. They said arrangements were being made to install a number of new kiosks.

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