Pilikula park on alert, bird flu scare

Pilikula park on alert, bird flu scare

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, Jan 06, 2018: Pilikula Biological Park at Vamanjoor here is on alert in view of reports on bird flu in Bengaluru.   Chicken feding for animals in the park has been banned the last 3 days as a precaution, according to H. Jayaprakash Bhandary, director of the park.

Visitors to the zoo now have to dip their feet in a disinfectant solution. In addition, care takers at the zoo are applying disinfectants on their hands before entering the enclosures of birds and animals. Disinfectant solutions are being sprayed in enclosures as well. Bird droppings, faecal matters of animals are analysed frequently, he said.

Mr. Bhandary said now animals are being fed with meat and not chicken.

New enclosure  :  A new wall-glass display enclosure for a pair of Asiatic lions in the park has been built at an estimated cost of Rs. 27 lakh. Spread over 6,000 sq. ft. it has been sponsored by the Indian Oil Corporation.

Asiatic lions are rare and endangered. The zoo has a 10-year-old male lion and an eight-year-old lioness brought from Gujarat. Visitors to the park can now see them in the new enclosure. The wall-glass structure prevents visitors from being a nuisance to the beasts. The pair is housed in animal house during the night, as a special mesure.