Franklin Park Zoo animals keep cool with icy treats during summer heat
DORCHESTER - It's hot and humid in Massachusetts and humans have all kinds of ways to stay cool: swimming, ice pops or even hanging in the AC. Turns out, zoo animals aren't all that different from us, especially those at Franklin Park Zoo.
The zoo exhibits
Zookeepers have found ways to keep the animals cool during the summer heat.
"We want to make sure they're staying cool all day," said Erica Farrell, assistant curator of the tropical forest at Franklin Park Zoo. Part of her job includes monitoring the weather forecast to plan ahead and ensure the animals are prepared for the heat.
At the zoo's gorilla exhibit, these animals are covered in black fur and are thousands of pounds, so staying cool can be complicated for this species.
"Where they're from in Africa, it's very warm, it's very humid, so this is not necessarily out of the ordinary for them," Farrell said. "However, they were born in Boston."
Farrell said the zoo makes sure to design every exhibit with summer and winter in mind. They use big sails for shade with enclosures equipped with water-misters, ponds, mud for the hippos, and a fan-favorite amongst the animals: popsicles.
A summer treat
The popsicles typically consist of water or juice and cut up fruit, Farrell told WBZ. The gorillas are given fruits and vegetables frozen in water.
The lemurs, with a low-sugar diet, get crickets inside of their ice popsicles. As for the meat-eaters, like the lions, their treat is more of an acquired taste.
"We make ice treats for those animals with their favorite foods, so that includes meat and blood and we freeze that," Farrell said. The zookeepers call them "bloodsicles."
"That's a nice way for them to cool off," she said.
Vets on-staff
There are several veterinarians on staff if any animal has trouble in the high temperatures -- but zookeepers are confident they're just fine enjoying the sunshine and their admirers.
"It's amazing to see all the animals," said Boston resident and frequent zoo visitor Kelly Belucio. She said she was happy to see the animals thriving in their environment. "Oh yeah, it looks like they're staying cool -- I'm not so much."
The zoo opens at 9 a.m. every day and closes at 5 p.m. on weekdays and 6 p.m. on weekends.