When the blazing heat becomes too much to bear, Scarlett cools off under the refreshing shower from a stationed garden hose.
Sunflower prefers to take a dip in her personal above-ground pool.
For Thor and Daisy, wallowing in thick puddles of mud with typically does the trick.
We all have our ways of beating the heat outside. But some of us need more help than others.
As this year’s summer is proving to be one of the hottest in recent history, putting over 100 million Americans under heat alerts, animal professionals take extra measures to cool their furry and feathered friends.
The American Association of Zoos & Aquariums provides resources for zookeepers to mitigate the effects of heat on both animals, and themselves.
“Obviously, it seems to be a much hotter summer this year than it has been in years past,” said Jason Montgomery, an assistant curator and habitat manager at the Santa Fe College Teaching Zoo.
Home to over 70 species of animals, the outdoor teaching zoo hosts a combination of animals native to Florida and from around the world.
Since most of the zoo’s residents have lived at the zoo for years in habitats with plenty of shade, many take the higher temperatures as a time to “chill out,” Montgomery said. However some species, such as the Matschie’s tree kangaroo and emus, are more sensitive to heat.
“With our tree kangaroos, actually they’ll lick their arms when they get heat stress,” Montgomery said. “Some of our animals though are just gonna pant like a dog.”
To combat the effects of the heat wave, zookeepers will regularly mist animals with a hose and provide ice enrichment activities. The shade and fans around the zoo provide additional relief to both the animals and guests walking through the establishment.
Christine Janks, the owner of Carson Springs Wildlife Foundation and Sanctuary in Gainesville, has a similar approach for her animals. Co-owned by Janks and her husband, Barry, the conservation and educational facility hosts over 30 rare and endangered species.
Since many of the animal species are from Africa, the heat is not a large concern for them, Janks said.
“They’re used to hot weather,” Janks said. “Though, even including us, nobody likes extremely hot and humid [weather].”
Similar to the Santa Fe Teaching Zoo, animals cool off with shade and mists of water.
Resident tigers Gator and Sunflower enjoy periodic sprays from a hose, followed by a dip in their respective enclosure’s pools. For the bonded hyena pair, Scarlett and Rhett, a shower in the corner of their habitat is a refreshing spot to cool down and splash in the water.
The animals also have natural behaviors protecting them from scorching sunlight. Bagy, a Sulcata tortoise who’s at least 15 years old, dug a burrow in his enclosure to retreat from the heat.
“We get the afternoon rains and nature sort of washes them off sometimes to cool down,” Janks said.
She hasn’t noticed this summer being hotter than previous years.
“It’s just the way it is. It’s Florida in the summer,” she said. “We used to live in Chicago, we had to shovel snow. I don’t do that anymore. It’s so much nicer.”
Sweltering temperatures are not only a concern for zoo animals, but also pets — especially dogs.
For dogs, even routine walks and trips outside turn into a risky obstacle course during hot days.
Candace Hirt, the director of operations at the Humane Society of North Central Florida, says extreme heat poses a risk of heat stroke for dogs when they’re outside.
“Dogs are very good at hiding symptoms,” Hirt said. “It’s easy to let them out midday and they’re tearing around the yard having a great time. Sometimes we just don’t realize that they’re getting heat stroke until it’s too late.”
Signs of heat stroke in dogs include extreme panting, drooling, shivering, lethargy, fainting and being unresponsive.
Dogs also face potential paw burns from walking on hot pavement. To prevent this, Hirt recommends walking your dog in the grass as much as possible, taking frequent breaks in shady areas and bringing water and a bowl to keep your pet hydrated.
“If anyone is worried that their pet has heat stroke, they should immediately go to their vet,” Hirt said. “If they’re suspecting heat stroke, the sooner they jump on that, the better the outcome will be for their pet.”
