The summer of 2012 has been a scorcher. And the animals at the zoo have been feeling the heat just as much as the humans. As zoo keepers, it’s our job to keep our charges as cool and comfortable as possible. Many of the strategies we use at the zoo can be applied to your pets at home as well.
The zoo doesn’t pay for central air to keep the keepers comfortable! From snow leopards to chinchillas, there are many animals at the zoo that come from colder climates and don’t do well in the heat. Even animals from tropical zones are smart enough to seek out lower temperatures in the heat of the day. We’ve got a howler monkey (from the jungles of Central America) that starts knocking on the door to come in if the temperature is over 85 degrees! Our pets at home benefit from having the AC on while we’re at work all day. Even though it’s not very “green” we still leave the air on for the cat during the day if the temperature will be over 90 degrees.
Manipulate the Enclosure
As much as we would love to do so, keepers just can’t let the animals hang out inside all day; they’ve got to be on exhibit! Animals will naturally gravitate to shady or cooler areas, and so we strive to provide a variety with in the enclosure. We put up shade structures, grow trees and grass, and fill ponds with cool water. Our male tiger spends hours in his stream on hot days. If your dog spends his summer days outside, make sure he’s got a variety of places to seek out shelter and shade at any time of the day, and fill up a kiddie pool for him to splash in.
Misters and Fans
We’ve outfitted many of our exhibits with misters. The animal can either get right into the spray to get wet, or simply benefit from the cool air produced by evaporating water. Many hoof stock barns in zoos also have giant fans running all day to circulate air. You can use fans and misters at home as well; my cat could spend all day sitting in front of the window fan in the bedroom.
Ice Blocks and other Cold Enrichment
On really awful days, we give out cold treats to our animals. We freeze bottles of Kool-aid for the great apes, and make “blood-cicles” for the big cats. Frozen grapes are handed out to monkeys, ice cubes are given to sea lions, and bears spend hours licking frozen fish pops. The Kool Dogz Ice Treat maker allows pet owners to make their own ice blocks for their dogs. On really hot days, we give our cat ice cubes made from a tiny bit of yogurt. It not only cools her off, but increases her water consumption as well.
Water Games!
The afternoon elephant demo at the zoo is often bath time! The keeper drag out huge fire hoses and spend twenty minutes hosing down the elephants. They’ll drink the water, roll in the mud, and scuffle over who gets to stand in the spray. Tigers and orangutans also love hose games! And after watching this adorable video of a baby moose playing in the sprinkler, we tried giving them to our bison and big horn sheep! Most dogs love a good game of sprinkler tag, and you can put on your suit and join them!
More Zoo Articles:
Scent Enrichment for you Dog: Tips from a Zookeeper
Enrichment for Goats: Ideas from the Petting Zoo
Medicating Your Pets: Tips from a Zookeeper
