National

Chicken-free menu for Assam zoo animals

Guwahati: The authorities of the Assam State Zoo here have taken tips from the authorities of the Sepahijhola Zoo in Tripura to make its leopards and jungle cats to change to mutton as chicken has been taken off the menu following the outbreak of bird flu in the city.

The zoo’s Divisional Forest Officer, Narayan Mahanta, told The Hindu that he had got in touch with the Sepahijhola Zoo as the animals were reluctant to take mutton after chicken was completely stopped from December 11. As the animals refused to eat raw mutton, the next day they were served boiled mutton but they were still reluctant to take it.

However, Sepahijhola Zoo officials told Mr. Mahanta that the animals will eventually start taking mutton.

Zoo authorities have also stopped procuring eggs, which are normally given to bears as an additional food item.

Mr. Mahanta said that after the outbreak of the disease, the zoo stopped procuring dressed chickens and only live chickens were brought inside till December 10.

Other precautionary steps included stepping up the routine disinfecting measures, constant monitoring of health and behaviour of zoo birds and animals and freeing the zoo premises from backyard poultry chickens and ducks belonging to zoo employees.

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