Zoos Help Animals Adapt To Weather

By Terri Rimmer

The sweltering temperatures of 100 and above here in Texas have forced local zoos to make sure big creatures are kept cool.

If you live in this state you know what I mean when people ask if you think this week has been hot.

But picture yourself as a chimp named Chloe, wearing a homemade fur coat, swinging on branches in her man-made habitat.

However, she and her friends are keeping cool thanks to on-going efforts by the Dallas Zoo.

“The animals we have are pretty adaptable and they’re used to hot weather,” said Todd Bowsher, the zoo’s mammal curator in a recent interview.

However, the doctor concedes that zoos have to take measure to keep the animals cool – and they do in the way of misters, extra water, and more shade.

Treats of frozen juice and fruit are made available to the chimps, also.

On July 14th when the temperature reached 100 degrees, these mammals were rewarded with these surprises.

There is a challenge to getting to the fruity center which is good for the chimp’s mind to keep it active and also cools them off.

Despite this, though sometimes even these animal popsicles are not enough so they are allowed to go inside.

Even the elephants, giraffes and other animals get cooled down with the misters.

Over in Fort Worth, the zoo there has in place ways to make sure their animals are kept cool, said Lindsay Nantz, a zoo spokesperson.

“Most of our animals come from similar climates so they’re able to tolerate the heat,” she said.

Now a treat helps Chloe stay cool in the heat.

Even zoo visitors think it’s great what the staff is doing to help the animals keep their cool.

One visitor, Cindy Avalos, who brought her kids to see the primates, was impressed by these cooling efforts.

“It really makes a lot of sense,” she said.