Polar Bear Tries To Beat The Heat At Brookfield Zoo
BROOKFIELD, Ill. (CBS) -- The animals at Brookfield Zoo are getting a special treat to beat the heat.
As WBBM Newsradio 780's Mike Krauser reports, at the bear exhibit, curator Tim Sullivan watched as Hudson the polar bear tore into a block of ice, trying to get to the berries inside.
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One might assume that Hudson stays in the water all day, but this is not the case, Sullivan said. The polar bear will, however, take advantage of the water to melt the ice.
"He will get out as well. I think right now, he's using his intelligence to say, 'I bring this ice block in the water, I get to the treats faster,' because it helps melt the block faster," he said.
In the big picture, the polar bear is in trouble, Sullivan said.
"They need the ice flows to hunt, to hunt animals. They need the access to get to the edge to get to seals, which is their main food source," he said.
But that's in the wild. No matter what the conditions, Hudson does not sneak out and go to the seal exhibit.
"We did a good job in deciding exhibits, so he stays put," he said.
And although it's a zoo, the fountains seemed to be more popular than the animals for visitors Wednesday.
