It’s 95 degrees at Richmond’s Metro Zoo – and it feels even hotter, but most of the animals here are just fine according to assistant curator Alexzandra Smith.
“Some of them really enjoy this hot weather. This is what they would be used to in the wild.”
Think lions (road) and cheetahs. Rhinos, giant Galapagos tortoises and pygmy hippos wallow happily in the mud.
Even the penguins here are comfortable in high heat.
“Penguins are from Cape Town Africa, so they’re pretty used to heat as well.”
There are sprinklers for species that are not scared of water, but chimps, gibbons and orangutans don’t swim. For them, Smith says, a popsickle made from fruit and juice is just the ticket.
“They are just squealing with joy and they don’t want to hold it, because it’s so cold, so they’ll just put all often their mouth.”
Animals that prefer cold – like snow leopards – do have access to air conditioned quarters, and Smith says humans at the zoo are expecting a bigger electric bill than usual this summer.
