Tigers get shower bath, Anaconda in air condition; zoo changes rules for summer

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With the sweltering summer not falling down, the Thiruvananthapuram Zoo authorities are also forced to align with new menu charts for animals and birds. A shower bath has been allotted for tigers while the rare Amazonian anaconda will get a 24-hour air-conditioning abode. Chicken meat has been taken out from the menu card of carnivores as it got replaced with beef to fight the hot summer. Daily 94 kg of meat is purchased. The fish quantity also has been increased to sustain the summer days. The tigers will be also served with a hose water bath at repeated intervals to cool themselves. Normally the tigers take bath only once a day.

For bears, ice will be filled in a plate and served. Fruits also go into their chart which will be laced with thick ice. An additional 6.5kg of watermelons is purchased just for the bears alone. For birds, a separate mineral mixture is made. The purchase of vegetables is also on a high note.