Taiping Zoo takes steps to prevent heat stroke in animals

TAIPING - Taiping Zoo & Night Safari (ZTNS) is taking precautionary measures to ensure that the animals in the zoo are not affected by heat stroke following the current extreme hot weather.

Its director Dr. Muhamad Ridhwan Affendi so far the animals have not been affected but they are likely to suffer a heat stroke or diabetes if they are not properly taken care off by a specialist.

"Right now it is extremely hot and temperatures have reached up to 39 to 40 degrees.

"However, we are thankful that ZTNS is at a suitable location at the foot of Bukit Larut which is surrounded by Taman Tasek Taiping," he told a press conference on the Let's Nurture the Nature Programme in conjunction with World Environment Day celebration here today.

Muhamad Ridhwan said the welfare of the zoo inhabitants is closely monitored by staff members who among others, must ensure the animals are provided shade and water and that there is sufficient level of water for animals, such as elephants to have their bath regularly.

Meanwhile, ZTNS today played host to 21 students under the Special Integration Education Programme (PPKI) from Sekolah Kebangsaan Kampung Boyan to raise awareness on climate change and help the environment.

The main objective of the Let's Nurture the Nature programme is to promote environmental awareness and get the community to help especially in the preservation and conservation of nature..

Among the activities carried out by the group today were planting Kelat Paya Merah saplings, touring the zoo and feeding the animals.

He said to plant the saplings today, faeces of animals were used as fertilisers, adding that elephant dung which makes an excellent compost is being produced by ZTNS.

"We are probably the first zoo to make this compost and use them in the garden," he added. - BERNAMA