Summer chill out at the zoo
(Video) Ramat Gan Safari workers find original methods for keeping animals cool during extremely hot summer days. 'Fishsicles' and icy cold showers are just some of the ways to do it
VIDEO - The raging temperatures of the Israeli summer send every Israeli who can afford it indoors, to the comforting coolness of the air conditioner.
But for those who do not have air conditioning in their home, and who are not native to this part of the globe, the heat and humidity are almost impossible to bear.
Enthused bear with 'fishsicle' (Photo: Niv Calderon)
The animals in Israel's biggest zoo, the Ramat Gan Safari, have a particular hard time dealing with the weather these days, and the zoo's workers are using various original techniques to ease the distress of the park's inhabitants.
The sweaty bears, for instance, get a special treat on especially hot days – the "fishsicle": a big bucket containing frozen raspberry juice, fruits, vegetables, and fish. "The bears love it," said Safari spokeswoman Sagit Horowitz. "It's both cold and sweet, and it contains everything they like. In addition, it gives them something to play with. They fool around with it for about an hour – lick it, play with it and throw it into their pool."
The monkeys also get a special treat: the "fruitsicle." Unlike the bears, the monkeys don't get fish or raspberry juice, which may harm their teeth.
Spraying the alpacas (Photo: Niv Calderon)
Another method used for cooling down the animals is by spraying them with water - a kind of "massage shower." Among the animals that enjoy this special treatment are the tapir and the alpaca. The parrots and the elephants also get a refreshing shower.
The penguins' pool is refilled with icy cold water, and fans are turned on, to keep the flies and fleas away from them. However, Horowitz stressed that the penguins at the zoo did not originate in the South Pole, and therefore heat is not something they are unfamiliar with.
Even the visitors at the Safari are being taken care of: Last year, the zoo installed sprinklers at the monkeys' area, which the human mammals are also welcome to enjoy.
