Animals Chill Out During Heatwave with Frozen Treats

Creatures big and small have been treated to ice lollies to help them keep cool during the current heatwave.

As temperatures soar, keepers have been busy making frozen treats for the animals in their care, by suspending the animals’ favourite foods in ice.

Tiny blueberry and apple ice blocks were made for the minuscule meerkats, whereas the African elephants had huge fruit, vegetables and browse ice lollies, moulded using large buckets.

Discovery Trail Keeper, Jenny Garde, said, “As animal keepers it is important that we ensure the animals in our care stay comfortable during hot weather spells. One of the ways we do this is by providing them with frozen enrichment. For the lemurs and meerkats, this means making them ice lollies which contain their favourite fruity treats such as apple and blueberry.

“A lot of the other animals around the Park, such as the sea lions and elephants, have nice pools to dip in, but their keepers also provide them with ice blocks. The frozen treats not only provide the animals with cool relief but also stimulate their brains as they have to work out how to get to the suspended delights inside. Just like with us humans, they always go down a treat!”

For the California sea lions, their ice treat also doubled as a birthday cake for Callum, who turned 19-years-old on 17 June.  

Callum enjoyed pushing the ice cake into the water and playing with it, before sharing it with his friends Jack and Bounty.

Keepers always keep a watchful eye over the animals in extreme weather, but when it’s hot they have other crafty ways of keeping the animals cool, such as sprinkler sessions, creating wet spots of sand and ensuring all of the pools and mud wallows are topped up.

Eagle-eyed visitors to the wildlife attraction this week may spot the animals with their icy treats and are being urged to make sure they take care in this heat too by keeping hydrated and wearing sun cream.