Bokaro bats succumb to the heat

Bokaro, April 13 (IANS) It's not just humans but animals too are affected by the soaring temperature -- and in the steel city of Bokaro, flying bats are most adversely impacted by the heat.

In Bokaro zoo, animals such as tigers are being given glucose and are being protected from the heat with their cages equipped with water coolers.

But bats, who live on trees, are not as lucky.

Everyday around 15 to 20 flying bats are dying in Bokaro. The temperature in the city has touched 45.5 degrees Celsius and blistering winds have claimed the lives of hundreds of bats in Peterwar block under Bokaro district.

There is a colony of 5,000 flying fruit bats who have made their abode in banyan, mango and several other trees situated on the campus of Peterwar police station of the city. The sweltering heat due to the soaring temperature is claiming 15 to 20 lives every day.

'Here 15 to 20 bats are dying every day. The heat and wind seem to have made the lives of bats difficult. There is no source of water near these trees,' Suraj Nath Ganjhu, a security guard of the police station, told IANS.

He said: 'As soon as the bats die and fall on the ground, street dogs devour them. When we find some fallen bats we offer water to save them.'

The forest officials, however, are not aware of the deaths. 'We will look into the issue and do all that is needful to protect their lives,' A.K. Patra, forest conservator of Bokaro, told IANS.