North Bengal Wild Animals Park takes measures to protect animals from heatwave

By Tarak Sarkar

Siliguri (West Bengal) [India], May 3 : Amid the heatwave conditions in West Bengal, the North Bengal Wild Animals Park in Siliguri has taken several measures to protect the animals, especially tigers, leopards, and Asiatic black bears, from the rising heatwave in the region.
The park authorities said that they have installed water ponds and fans at night shelters for animals, which are running 24 hours a day to protect them from the heatwave.
The current temperature of Siliguri ranges between 36-40 degrees Celsius.
Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has announced that West Bengal will continue to experience heatwaves for the next three days.
"For the next three days, heatwave conditions will continue to prevail in the eastern region of the country. Heatwave conditions will continue in Odisha, West Bengal and Bihar," IMD scientist Dr Naresh Kumar said.
North Bengal Wild Animals Park Director E Vijaya Kumar said, "This year the temperature is crossing 39-40 degrees Celsius. So we have taken some special steps to make the animals feel comfortable in the sweltering heat. We have set up water ponds in the enclosures for the animals, including- tigers, leopards, and Asiatic black bears, which stay in the night shelters. Water collars, special bamboo sheds, tree sheds, fans and ice cubes are also arranged for the animals. Water sprinklers are also used for them to keep their body temperature normal. We also changed the food pattern."
The Director of North Bengal Wild Animals Park stated that their veterinary doctors and medical staff are continuously monitoring the animals' activities. They have the necessary facilities to tackle any potential issues, even if the temperature rises above the current levels.
"In this situation, animals are not showing any abnormal behaviours due to the heatwave. Our veterinary doctors, along with the medical staff, are continuously monitoring the activities of the animals and we have full facilities to tackle even if the temperature goes higher than now," Kumar said.
Although the park remains a major attraction for tourists and locals, adverse weather conditions have caused a decrease in daily visitors by around 1000 to 2000.
The North Bengal Wild Animals Park, commonly known as Bengal Safari Park is a one-of-a-kind open-air zoological park in the state, having around 800 animals of 45 species spread over 297 hectares on the fringes of Mahananda Wildlife Sanctuary off NH10 on the northeast outskirts of Siliguri. The park has enclosures for the Royal Bengal tiger, leopard, gharial (fish-eating crocodile), crocodile, Asiatic black bear, rhino, kangaroo and an open-air aviary.