keepers’ tips for keeping zoo animals fresh

Six baby otters have just joined the other residents of the Plaisance du Touch zoological park (Haute-Garonne). Within a month, they will be able to refresh following their parents in the water. Some species particularly suffer from high heat, such as yaks, or an Asian red panda. During the hottest hours, the animal is amorphous, and seeks shade points.

For refresh residents and avoid heat stroke, the caregivers are very caring. “I make ice cubes for them. We adapt the ice cubes to the diet of each species”, explains Maëlle Croissant, animal caretaker. In the African giants sector, the same attention is paid to animals, as for three female elephants. Ludovic Picault, animal caretaker, concocted iced melons and watermelons for them.