Who doesn’t like visiting the zoo? As it happens, a lot of people don’t find zoos to be all that fun, as every visit includes annoying insects that seem to bite relentlessly. If you are the type of person who shies away from outdoor events just to avoid bugs, then you certainly want to avoid the world famous Bhagwan Birsa Biological Park in India. Most of you know that India is well populated with exotic insects that carry deadly diseases. However, now that monsoon season has arrived in the country, officials now have to clear the zoo of all vegetation that attracts insects. Accomplishing this monumental task is a tall order to say the least, but officials with Birsa have enacted an aggressive vector control campaign in order to protect visitors from disease-spreading bugs. This vector control campaign is among the most comprehensive vector control programs ever attempted.
In the country of India, monsoon season means an increase in vector-borne diseases. As you can imagine, the Birsa animal park contains a wealth of animal and plant species that all of the country’s insects seem to gravitate toward. The zoo is an enormous 104 hectares in size and it contains more than 1,200 animals. This makes the zoo a hotspot for disease-spreading bugs during the country’s monsoon season.
In order to reduce the amount of disease-spreading bugs within the zoo, more than two dozen workers are removing all forms of ornamental vegetation, and pockets of exposed ground water are being filled in with sand. In the past, visitors at the zoo have come down with diarrhea, which is caused by bacterial, viral or parasitic infections, and sleeping sickness, which is caused by a common parasite. Two more common diseases that become more prevalent during India’s monsoon season incude Anthrax and babseiosis. Anthrax is caused by a bacterium known as Bacillus anthracis, and ticks spread babseiosis. The zoo’s staff is also installing bug zappers in the animal’s cages, and they are also trapping insects in order to feed them to certain animals. Additionally, all of the animals are being given multivitamins in order to boost their immune response in case of vector-borne infection. According to a spokesmen for the zoo, these measures are being taken in order to protect both visitors and the captive animals from contracting vector-borne diseases.
Would you feel as though you would be putting your health at risk by visiting the Bhagwan Birsa Biological Park?