East Sussex zoo animals get frozen treats as temperatures soar
But these ice lollies aren't like the ones you'll find at the shops...
Animals at a zoo in East Sussex have been given special frozen treats to keep them cool as the weather heats up.
Tuesday (July 30th) was the hottest day of the year so far in the UK, with temperatures of 32C recorded at Kew Gardens and Heathrow Airport in London.
With the mercury not too far off that at Drusillas Park near Alfriston, keepers have been taking extra steps to keep their animals cool by making sure they have access to additional water sources and creating extra shaded areas where they can keep out of the sun.
But some of the keepers have been getting a little extra creative by creating food-layered ice lollies stacked with delicious ingredients including tasty peanuts, crunchy seeds, zingy fresh herbs, and even soothing herbal teas – ideal for keeping everyone ‘chill’ as the temperature rises.
They've been served up to animals such as squirrel monkeys, macaques and lemurs.
Drusillas Zoo Section Leader, Jacinta Dawe, said animals do not sweat in the same way humans do., making it more important to keep them cool in the heat:
"The animals just want to get their paws on the rewards hidden in the lollies, but as they grab, lick, nibble and break them down, their mouths and paws are cooled.
"The food inside is carefully measured and taken from their normal daily food allowance so although it’s lots of fun to see them with ice lollies, they still sit within their monitored diets.”
“Ice lollies are a great way to keep the animals cool, but they also serve an enrichment purpose as well. Making the animals work for their food in creative ways, helps to stimulate them mentally and physically and forces them to use their instincts to look for food as they would in the wild."