With a likely record-breaking heatwave developing over the capital, animals at London Zoo have been cooling off with ice lollies and hosedowns from zookeepers.
Temperatures on Friday reached 28C - the hottest day of the year so far. But the weekend is set to be even hotter, with Bank Holiday Monday forecast to reach 33C.
Zookeepers at the Regent’s Park zoo have rolled out a series of enrichments to help animals stay cool during the heatwave and in the summer months.
The Standard was invited to visit the animal enclosures as the hot weather looms.
Plenty of animals are provided with ice lollies during the summer months. This includes frozen treats made of fish juice for the ferrets, seafood for the otters, sugar-free tea for the gorillas, and blood-based lollies for the predators.
Animals like ferrets, which are especially prone to heatstroke, are kept out of the sun and in the shade to offer some respite from the heat.
Even animals suited to hot habitats are not exempt from the zoo’s enrichment program.
Ostriches have access to sandbaths all year long but get some extra pampering with “hose showers” provided by zookeepers to help keep them cool. Burrowing owls are also fond of a light misting and a “shower” in the hot weather.
While giraffes are built for savannah temperatures, resident giraffes Wilf and Nuru can’t resist using the hose to catch a refreshing drink in the heat.
Humboldt penguins hail from Chile and coastal Peru, meaning they thrive in warm conditions. On Penguin Beach, the birds have access to a large swimming enclosure and their habitat features a misting and fan system to help cool the surrounding air when necessary.
Dan Simmonds, Zoological Operations Manager, said: “At London Zoo, our keepers carefully adapt daily routines during periods of hot weather to help animals stay cool, comfortable, and stimulated.
“From nutritionally beneficial ice lollies and cooling misters to hose-downs for species that enjoy water, we provide a variety of enrichment tailored to different animals’ needs. Many of the Zoo’s habitats also include pools where animals can cool off, as well as shaded areas that allow them to choose the environments best suited to them throughout the day.”
