Adelaide Zoo keeps animals cool through recent heat wave

Adelaide Zookeepers have kept their animals cool through recent heat waves with icy enrichments - Icy treats, cool baths and plenty of fresh water have helped the furry, feathered and scaly animals beat the heat.

Icy enrichment was on the menu for the meerkats, Asian Small-clawed Otters, Squirrel Gliders and bilbies. Tasty treats were frozen inside large ice blocks which encourages the animals to express natural behaviours, like scratching, to get to the food. 

During Friday’s hot weather Adelaide Zoo’s Birds Keeper, Mal Norman, said the two Cassowaries Martina and Jeffery opted to keep cool in the pool noting “Although Cassowaries are built for hot weather in Far North Queensland, they enjoy the chance to cool off in the water.

“We have kept the pools nice and full for the heat today and it’s been a great experience for visitors watching these huge birds enjoy a dip like they would in a rainforest habitat.”

In the cockatoo aviary, the Yellow-tailed Black-cockatoos spent the day under the water misters with Norman adding “Our feathered friends don’t have sweat glands so it’s important to give them an opportunity to refresh under the mister, and seeing them stretching out their wings under the water tells us they’re enjoying it.”

Enrichment is just one way keepers provide tip top care to the animals across both Zoos SA sites. Pools, misters or ice blocks not only keep the animals comfortable but also contributes to making every day different for the animals, promoting positive mental stimulation.

It wasn’t just the animals keeping cool, as hundreds of visitors flocked to escape the heat among the zoo’s shady oasis.

“Our beautiful gardens mean most of our paths are nice and shady and it was great to see so many families making the most of the zoo’s cool microclimate with icy pole in hand.”

Adelaide Zoo is open every day of the year, including public holidays.