Zoos using cool tricks to help animals beat the heat in US
Source: Agencies |
August 5, 2010, Thursday
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OTTERS sweltering in the summer sun suck on "fishsicles." For carnivores like the Amur leopard, it's "bloodsicles."
Zoos across the United States are using icy treats, shade, water and every conceivable form of cooling machine to help hundreds of thousands of animals, visitors and workers beat the heat this summer.
Even animals from Africa can have problems with extreme heat, says Lion Country Safari Wildlife Director Terry Wolf.
"It can be pretty stressful to some of them," he said. So at the Loxahatchee park in southern Florida, rhinos, tortoises and birds have slushy wet mud holes and the water buffalo have canals and lakes pumped full of water. Diets have changed from winter protein to summer fiber.
Earlier this month, temperatures soared past 38 degrees Celsius on the east and west coasts. Death Valley in eastern California recorded 51 degrees.
The lions have wet moats, primates and outdoor birds get shade and mist, jaguars and Andean bears have swimming pools, and the orangutans hang out near air conditioning vents at the Houston Zoo, said Brian Hill, director of public affairs.
Ice, frozen in everything from snowcone cups to 95-liter buckets, is a heat treat. The Essex County Turtle Back Zoo in New Jersey, uses fishsicles and bloodsicles, along with "fruitsicles" for bears and ice cream and Italian ices for the humans, explained zoo director Jeremy Goodman.
Some animals sweat and some are just as susceptible as humans to heat stroke and heat exhaustion. Some even get sunburned.
"We apply sunscreen to our pig," Goodman said.
The Phoenix (Arizona) Zoo is probably the US's hottest, said Dan Subaitis, director of animal management there for the past five years. For three months every summer, it often reaches 46 degrees during the day and the humidity reaches 60 percent he said. Staff constantly watches the animals, guests and each other for signs of heat distress.
"Our reptile collection likes heat, but our heat is even too hot for most of them, so they will head for their pools," Subaitis said.
You won't find any moose or polar bears at the zoo because it would cost too much to keep them cool.
Zoos across the United States are using icy treats, shade, water and every conceivable form of cooling machine to help hundreds of thousands of animals, visitors and workers beat the heat this summer.
Even animals from Africa can have problems with extreme heat, says Lion Country Safari Wildlife Director Terry Wolf.
"It can be pretty stressful to some of them," he said. So at the Loxahatchee park in southern Florida, rhinos, tortoises and birds have slushy wet mud holes and the water buffalo have canals and lakes pumped full of water. Diets have changed from winter protein to summer fiber.
Earlier this month, temperatures soared past 38 degrees Celsius on the east and west coasts. Death Valley in eastern California recorded 51 degrees.
The lions have wet moats, primates and outdoor birds get shade and mist, jaguars and Andean bears have swimming pools, and the orangutans hang out near air conditioning vents at the Houston Zoo, said Brian Hill, director of public affairs.
Ice, frozen in everything from snowcone cups to 95-liter buckets, is a heat treat. The Essex County Turtle Back Zoo in New Jersey, uses fishsicles and bloodsicles, along with "fruitsicles" for bears and ice cream and Italian ices for the humans, explained zoo director Jeremy Goodman.
Some animals sweat and some are just as susceptible as humans to heat stroke and heat exhaustion. Some even get sunburned.
"We apply sunscreen to our pig," Goodman said.
The Phoenix (Arizona) Zoo is probably the US's hottest, said Dan Subaitis, director of animal management there for the past five years. For three months every summer, it often reaches 46 degrees during the day and the humidity reaches 60 percent he said. Staff constantly watches the animals, guests and each other for signs of heat distress.
"Our reptile collection likes heat, but our heat is even too hot for most of them, so they will head for their pools," Subaitis said.
You won't find any moose or polar bears at the zoo because it would cost too much to keep them cool.
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