Chimps get herbal tonic to fight winter chill

Image
IANS Patna
Last Updated : Dec 12 2014 | 10:35 AM IST

No monkey business this. Two chimpanzees in Patna Zoo are treated like VIPs as they are served tasmai, a rice pudding, and Chyavanprash, a widely-used herbal tonic, to help them battle the winter chill.

"We have introduced a special winter menu for chimpanzees and other animals for the chilly weather," S. Chandrasekhar, director of the the Botanical Garden, locally known as Patna Zoo, told IANS.

He said tasmai is prepared with 50 grams of rice, 1,500 gms of milk and a small quantity of sugar.

Subhadra and Kartik, a pair of chimpanzees, are also given 50 gms of Chyavanprash a day - early morning and at night.

Chandrasekhar said that the chimpanzees are enjoying the taste of tasmai and Chyavanprash and are more active and healthy after the special menu was introduced.

"They will consume more than three kg of Chyavanprash in a month during winter," he said.

Last year too, the chimpanzees were fed Chyavanprash to ward off the cold.

Not just the chimpanzees, other animals too get a diet suitable for the winter season. They are given eggs, chicken, beef, honey, among other items.

The zoo has also made arrangements to keep the animals warm by installing heat convectors. Chandrasekhar said the zoo spends nearly Rs.9 lakh a year to provide high quality food to its 1,200 animals and birds.

(Imran Khan can be contacted at imran.k@ians.in <mailto:imran.k@ians.in>)

*Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Smart Quarterly

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

SAVE 46%
*Complimentary New York Times access for the 2nd year will be given after 12 months

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Exclusive premium stories online

  • Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

First Published: Dec 12 2014 | 10:34 AM IST

Next Story