Zoo Miami Animals Have Some Fun in the Sun

Keepers at Zoo Miami have been busy this week helping to keep the animals in their care cool as the city sweltered through rapid temperatures. Many of the zoo’s inhabitants come from tropical and sub-tropical climates making them well suited for warm temperatures but in unprecedented temperatures keepers work hard to ensure they remain comfortable.

Throughout the heat wave keepers ensure they maintain their standard measures to keep animals cool including keeping their pools full for bathing and drinking and making sure there are plenty of shady areas. They also provide piles of ice in which the animals can lay to help them cool off.

As a special treat zoo interns also created massive popsicles alongside the well-being and nutrition teams. This allows the animals to cool off while remaining physically and mentally stimulated.

One of these popsicles was provided to the zoo’s sloth bear family. Each popsicle includes six layers each with the bears favourite ingredients and weighing in at over 50 pounds. The ingredients aren’t something you will find on supermarket shelves with exotic treats such as mealworms and nectar hiding among the ice.

Once the popsicles were hung by chain from a tree the sloth bears made short time of pulling them apart using their strong claws.