Animals at Barcelona Zoo freshen up during the hot weather
Barcelona Zoo has adopted a series of measures to mitigate the effects of the high temperatures and ensure the health and welfare of its animals, including replacing drinking water more often and introducing ice-cream into the diet of some species.
When temperatures are at their hottest, keepers renew the drinking water for animals more often to ensure it is fresh and add more drinking facilities if necessary. Cleaning is stepped up and the bathing water which some species have in their enclosures is renewed more frequently. Mud bath equivalents are also created as they play an important role in regulating body temperatures for animals such as warthogs and elephants.
Only in exceptional cases, such as the pair of red pandas, are water sprinklers activated to freshen up their enclosure. This also happens with the areas for elephants, bison, the dwarf buffalo and the Père David’s deer. Hosepipes are used in these cases.
Generally, when temperatures are high, animals are guaranteed access whenever they like to the puddles within their enclosures, leaving the gates to their quarters open at all times.
Food is also an important consideration during the hot months. Besides making sure animals are properly hydrated, ice-creams are prepared which are adapted to the diet of each species, consisting of an ice base with added fish, seafood, vegetables, juice or broth.
