Ormanjhi braces for chilly spell ahead

RANCHI: As Ranchiites brave a freezing week, the VIP residents of Ormanjhi Zoological Park in the outskirts of the capital are enjoying the comforts of warm, cozy cages and bonfire nights. As mercury levels plummeted to five degrees below normal, zoo authorities plunged into preparation to keep its inmates warm.
If the pleasant afternoon sun offers them long hours of sleep in the open, room heaters placed outside their cages keep tiger pair Tejashwi and Shiva warm at night.The cages of Shashank and Tara, the park's only lion pair are also being kept warm with high-powered heaters. Bonfires are being lit outside the lodgings of the elephant trio of Samrat, Lakshmi and Ramu at the rear end of the 100 hectare park. Jute bags covers around their cages and hay-beds are keeping the ostriches, monkeys and bears away from the freezing cold.
Apart from warming measures, adjustments have been made to their diet to increase their vitamin content "Winter is the time when appetite increases. Hence, the carnivores are being fed extra kilos of meat depending on their body weight. The herbivores are being given mahua and jaggery to provide additional vitamin supplements," said Dr Ajay Kumar, veterinary doctor.
With the festive week still a week away, citizens have already started flocking the zoo premises. However, the park authorities are expecting an early rush as the weather office forecast chilly weather conditions in the next few days. The dry northwesterly winds blowing at brisk pace caused minimum temperatures to slip by five degrees below normal across the state.
Night temperatures in Ranchi slipped to 6.2°C on Thursday while the Steel City shivered at 9°C. "Such conditions will prevail further into the week with night-time temperatures in Ranchi remaining three degrees below average," said an official of Ranchi meteorological office on Thursday.