Lucknow zoo animals are calmer, more active in lockdown

LUCKNOW: Chhedilal, 11, has been enjoying long naps and peaceful walks around his enclosure these days.
The otherwise ferocious man-eater tiger, who was rescued in 2016 from Chhedipur and kept in isolation for four years at Lucknow zoo, had become used to watching people. He would also roar at the incessant clicking of cameras.
With zoo closed for public, Chhedilal, according to the keepers, is getting accustomed to his new lifestyle, becoming more relaxed and less aggressive. Like him, many other wild animals and birds in zoo have become more playful and responsive than usual days.
“The stress factor has visibly reduced. There is no noise, except chirping of birds. Except for zoo staff, the inmates are facing no human interaction. Whenever the keepers go near their enclosures, they get happy and excited to see them,” said Sanjeev Johari, divisional forest officer at Lucknow zoo.
Explaining changes in their behaviour, zoo director RK Singh said, “Animals are more active and playful and their aggression level has decreased. Tigers and lions are calm and our butterfly park is blooming. Giraffes, wild cats, macaque and others are roaming freely inside their enclosures. Gibbons are also seen playing around on wooden logs.”
The zoo director said doctors and authorities were keeping a close watch on animals and all facilities, including disinfection protocol and minimum contact of keepers and staff while providing feed to animals, were being taken care of.