On a hot summer day, there is nothing better than ice cream or a popsicle to help cool you off. The animals at Zoo Miami couldn’t agree more. Reina the leopard’s favorite flavor in the summertime is a meat juice pop topped with raw fish.
“It keeps them active, and licking the ice also cools them off,” Ron Magill, Zoo Miami’s communication director said.
It’s not just people affected by the increasingly extreme temperatures that bake South Florida in the summer. Animals feel it too, from pets to all the critters at the Zoo Miami. Most of the animals here are naturally found in warm, humid climates — so they aren’t trying to keep polar bears or penguins cold. But they can overheat, in a lot of the same ways we do. Zoo keepers can tell an animal is dehydrated if there’s discoloration in its lips or tongue, paleness or panting, Magill said.
Zoo Miami gives enrichment treats year-round, but in the summer, the demand spikes. The zoo follows daily routines like ensuring there’s always fresh water and having places where the animals can find shade. This year, Magill said they’ve offered more cooling mixes than ever before — especially on high heat advisory days. The heat index had topped 90 on Tuesday afternoon when the icy treats were delivered.