Florida zoos get creative to beat the heat, protect animals
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Wilbur and a spidermonkey cool off from the summer heat in a pool. Photo: Courtesy of Zoo Miami
From "bloodsicles" to frozen Kool-Aid, Zoo Miami has gone to great lengths to keep its wild animals cool this summer.
Why it matters: South Florida has been under a heat advisory for much of July, with the heat index regularly hitting 105 degrees — dangerously hot for humans and animals alike.
- Zoos across the state are working to prevent overheating among their animals.
Zoom in: At Zoo Miami, carnivores eat "bloodsicles" — blocks of frozen meat juice with meat at the center — while herbivores eat ice blocks with fruits, veggies and juices, says Ron Magill, the zoo's goodwill ambassador and communications director.
- The dingoes and bears wallow in large piles of ice, while other animals have misters or fans in their habitats.
- For the rhinos and elephants, staff fill up large mud wallows with water sources for the pachyderms to roll around in or use to spray themselves. (That also protects them from the sun and biting bugs.)
A chimpanzee at the zoo named Hondo celebrated his 30th birthday with an ice "cake" made of frozen Kool-Aid and his favorite treats.
- The spider monkeys enjoy foraging for fresh produce in a pool of ice, while Wilbur, the Kunekune pig, likes dips in the pool.
What they're saying: "As the animals lick at the ice to get to the treats it is not only mentally and physically stimulating, it also serves to help cool them off," Magill tells Axios.
- Zoo Miami's Welfare, Enrichment and Behavior team says this kind of "cooling enrichment" is a summer "essential."
At Jungle Island, an eco-theme park, the Aldabra tortoises "love to be hosed down and will spend many hours relaxing in their pool," Lauren Inderbitzin, director of zoological operations, tells Axios.
- The capybara munch on ice popsicles made of lettuce, cucumber and sweet potato, while the emus cool down with fans and kiddie pools.
The bottom line: "With all of this said, the most important thing that we can provide is ample shade and fresh clean water because this is what the animals utilize more than anything," Magill told Axios.
📽️ 1 cute video to go: The Associated Press filmed river otters munching on ice blocks stuffed with fish and bears diving into mounds of ice to keep cool at the Palm Beach Zoo.