📰 News ⏱ 2 min

Dehradun Zoo Adjusts Animal Diets and Heats Enclosures for Winter

The zoo has altered the menus for birds, deer, bears and other species to protect them from low temperatures.

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Key Points

5 points

Special winter foods: almonds for birds, jaggery for deer, peanuts for bears.

Heaters installed in reptile enclosures to maintain body temperature.

Regular health checks by zoo veterinarians.

Seasonal fruits and vegetables added to many diets.

Preparedness aims to keep wildlife safe during cold months.

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Birds receive almonds, soaked seeds, sunflower seeds and seasonal fruits, while deer are given chopped green fodder with added jaggery.

Bears are fed chicken, boiled eggs, roasted peanuts and fresh produce.

Reptiles such as crocodiles, snakes and turtles are provided with heating bulbs because they are ectothermic and enter brumation in winter.

Veterinary and forest officers oversee the changes and monitor animal health throughout the season.

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9 words

diet

the regular food an animal eats

jaggery

a sweet made from boiled sugar cane juice

fodder

food made from plants that herbivores eat

ectothermic

animals that rely on the outside environment for body heat

brumation

a dormant period for cold‑blooded animals during winter

veterinarian

a doctor who looks after animal health

enclosure

the fenced area where an animal lives in a zoo

nutrient‑rich

full of substances that help growth and health

seasonal

related to a particular time of year

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