As temperatures soared over the bank holiday weekend, London Zoo turned to an unusual treat to keep its big cats cool: blood ice lollies. The frozen blocks, sometimes spiced or containing edible treats, are given to lions and Sumatran tigers to help them beat the heat while encouraging natural hunting behaviours.
Zoo animals also have their own ways of coping with warm weather, according to experts. Chester Zoo's Dr Nick Davis noted that eastern black rhinos and capybaras cool off in mud wallows, while Sumatran tigers, jaguars, Asian elephants and Humboldt penguins take dips in their pools. The penguins, native to coastal Peru and Chile, are well adapted to heat with bare patches on their faces and bills that release heat.
London Zoo provides additional cooling measures, including misting systems and fans for the penguin pool. Gorillas receive ice blocks made from sugar-free fruit teas, while chimps, bears and red pandas get fruit and vegetable ice lollies. Greater one-horned rhinos may be given refreshing showers.
Angela Ryan, ZSL's head of zoological operations, emphasised that the key is offering options. 'Some will head straight for pools or shaded spots, while others really enjoy things like misting or frozen treats as a way to cool down,' she said. 'A lot of our species are actually built for warm weather anyway, so it's not about over-intervening – it's about making sure they've got the right options.'
