TAIPING – Taiping Zoo and Night Safari (ZTNS) is taking precautionary measures to ensure that its animals are not affected by heat stroke from the extreme hot weather.
Its director Muhamad Ridhwan Affendi said that the animals have not been affected so far, but are likely to suffer a heat stroke or diabetes if they are not properly taken care of by a specialist.
“Right now it is extremely hot and temperatures have reached up to 39°C to 40°C.
“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 here today.
Ridhwan said the welfare of the zoo’s inhabitants is closely monitored by staff members, who among others must ensure the animals are provided shade and water and that there is sufficient water for animals such as elephants to bathe regularly.
Meanwhile, ZTNS today played host to 21 students under the Special Integration Education Programme from SK Kg 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, animal faeces 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, June 5, 2023
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