Animals keeping cool at Cotswold Wildlife Park
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In the current heatwave sweeping Oxfordshire, keepers have been treating the animals under their care to some cooling enrichments. They include new Ring-tailed Lemur twins, who sunk their teeth into refreshing watermelon and frozen fruit ice lollies for the first time, as well as a Penguin chick who made its public debut on one of the hottest days of the year so far (much to the surprise of visitors and keepers). After venturing out of the nest box, it headed straight for the sprinkler before taking its first plunge into the Penguin pool.
Credit: Cotswold Wildlife Park
It's hot, hot, hot here in the Cotswolds
Chris Kibbey, Assistant Animal Manager at Cotswold Wildlife Park & Gardens: "It's hot, hot, hot here in the Cotswolds, and keepers have to be prepared to keep themselves and the animals under their care cool. As always, we ensure all animals have access to adequate shade and plenty of water, but with hot temperatures forecast, it also allows us to be a little inventive with our enrichment. The Lemurs were given frozen fruit popsicles made using ingredients from their normal diet - berries, pear and grapes which they enjoyed."
"Sometimes simply freezing an animals' diet in an ice block provides a stimulating challenge for them, as was the case for our Tapirs Gomez and Lolita who devoured their melon, pear and banana frozen treat in no time. Watermelon is a delicious summer treat and perfect for our Meerkats who use their strong claws to break through the skin before using their snout and tongue to lap up the insides. For the first time, our Ring-tailed Lemur twins, born earlier this year, enjoyed their first taste of watermelon too".
Chris added: "Who doesn't like a cold shower on a hot day? Humboldt Penguins come from Chile and Peru where it is hot. Our British-born Penguins still appreciate a hose down when it is particularly warm. Our new as-yet-unsexed and unnamed Penguin chick surprised visitors by venturing out of its nest box for the first time and enjoyed a cooling spray from the sprinkler before taking its first dip in the Penguin pool".
Credit: Cotswold Wildlife Park
Treats all round
Tapirs Gomez and Lolita (father and daughter) were given a frozen ice block made from their favourite treats - melon, apple and banana. Tapirs are Brazil's largest mammal and are related to Horses and Rhinoceroses.
Ring-tailed (including their new twin babies), Red Bellied and Crowned Lemurs were treated to frozen fruit lollies (made with natural ingredients). The new Ring-tailed Lemur twins also had their first taste of refreshing watermelon too. The as-yet-unnamed twins were born earlier this year to mum Hira and dad Bernard. These new arrivals bring the total number of Lemur breeding successes in the Park's walk-through Lemur exhibit, Madagascar, to an impressive 70 since it officially opened in 2008.
The Park's new Humboldt Penguin chick (the first breeding success of the season) delighted keepers and visitors by making an unexpected appearance during the heatwave and ventured out of the nest box for the first time.
Meerkats were given cooling watermelons which didn't take long for them to sink their teeth into and devour. The name Meerkat comes from the Afrikaans word meaning 'marsh cat'. However, Meerkats are not related to cats, nor do they live in marshlands. The collective noun for a group of Meerkats is a gang, clan, mob or comparison.
Cotswold Wildlife Park
Cotswold Wildlife Park is one of the largest zoological collections in the UK, with over 1,500 animals from 250 different species, set in 160 acres of beautiful parkland with plenty of space to enjoy nature.
To fond out more, visit our Cotswold Wildlife Park page.
The images contained in this blog are copyright Cotswold Wildlife Park.
Last updated: 27 June 2024 - Please note: This blog was first written over a year old and things may have changed since the blog was written.
