Alipore Zoo has its first animal dietitian

Kolkata: Alipore Zoo, the country's oldest formally stated zoological park, is for the first time availing the services of a dietitian for its animals.

The zoo, which has 1400 animals, reptiles and birds as its inhabitants, was till now dependent on veterinary physicians to check the quality and quantity of food provided to them.

"This is an unique initiative. Since January-February this year we have appointed a dietitian. He is presently looking into the diet of the animals," Alipore Zoo director Kanailal Ghosh said.

The dietitian, he said, looks after the quantity, tests the quality, checks the nutrient value of the food given to the animals, besides changing the menu according to the season.

"Earlier veterinary doctors and the zoo staff looked after the animal diet. But now the dietitian does the job although we provide best quality foods to the animals," Ghosh told PTI.

The dietitian's job, much like one for people, starts early in the morning after the food for the animal starts arriving in the zoo kitchen. The dietitian works in close coordination with the veterinary doctors working in the zoo.

"We have been working on this idea for quite some time. Especially in summer, food is an important element in keeping the animals cool and saving then from the hot and humid weather," he said.

The dietitian is on a year's contract, Ghosh said adding the zoo has also appointed a sanitary supervisor to keep the cages and moats of the animals and birds clean.

"Most of the time we receive complaints that the cages are in very poor condition. It is untidy, irrespective of the efforts by the zoo staff to keep it clean. Now with the appointment of the sanitary supervisor for the animals, the cages and the places where animals are kept will be more neat and clean," Ghosh said.

The zoo, which opened in 1876 and covers 19 hectares, has among other animals nine tigers and four lions and a rare species of Aldabra giant tortoise. It is also home to a large number of winter migratory birds and regularly receives hundreds of visitors. 

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First phase of 'Clean Ganga' campaign to be completed by 2016

Kanpur: The first phase of 'Clean Ganga' campaign will be completed by October 2016 for the conservation of the river, Water Resources Minister Uma Bharti said Saturday.

The work for the completion of the first phase of 'Ganga Samagra Abhiyan' is in full swing and is expected to be completed by October next year, Bharti said at a meeting here.

A report on the conservation of the river's ecological system till Rishikesh has also been submitted by an IIT Kanpur professor and another report on the 'Ganga Sagar' is expected to be submitted by him in 1-2 months, she said.

"We have identified 23 sewers adjacent to the Ganga and have initiated the treatment of the sewage. There will be no delay of any scheme due to lack of funds falling under 'Namami Ganga,'" she said.

She also claimed that Narendra Modi will continue to serve as the Prime Minster for three more terms and what he has done for the economic development and foreign policies for India in one year was not even achieved by Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi.

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First quarter of 2015 the warmest ever in US

Washington: The US recorded its warmest first quarter since the 1880s this year even as central India experienced a cooler temperature than the average, according to an American scientific agency.

Further, March this year became warmest month in the last 136 years, latest US official figures reported.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in its latest report said the globally averaged temperature over land and ocean surfaces for March 2015 was the highest for the month since record keeping began in 1880.

Central India, southeastern Mauritania, central Mexico, and eastern Canada were cooler than average, the report said.

The year-to-date (January-March) globally averaged temperature was also record high.

During March, the average temperature across global land and ocean surfaces was 1.53F (0.85C) above the 20th century average.

This was the highest for March in the 1880-2015 record, surpassing the previous record of 2010 by 0.09F (0.05C), it said.

Also during January-March, the average temperature across global land and ocean surfaces was 1.48F (0.82C) above the 20th century average.

This was the highest for January-March in the 1880-2015 record, surpassing the previous record of 2002 by 0.09F (0.05C), it said.

The average March temperature over land surfaces across the globe tied with 1990 as the second highest for March on record, at 1.59C (2.86F) above the 20th century average. 

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