PREVIEW

As temperatures soar this summer in Houston, Texas, animals at the city’s zoo have been keeping cool.

To keep animals cool during the heat, the Zoo’s animal care teams come up with refreshing activities that encourage natural behaviours of animals to keep their minds and bodies engaged.
Ravioli, the North American river otter, enjoys racing from corner to corner in his habitat’s pool and foraging for fish through ice. Otters are very active and require regular movement to stay healthy. Quick swimming strengthens their muscles, supports their health, and allows for full body exercise. The Asian elephants in the McNair Asian Elephant bull yard take a dive in their ten-foot-deep oasis. Elephants can either be fully submerged or use their trunks to spray water over their bodies, cooling off their massive frames from the summer sun.

In South American’s Pantanal jaguar cub, Rojo, adapts to his first summer season with a splash in the habitat’s stream or taking a bite out of his first icy treat. A frozen treat is more than just a cute summer snack for a jaguar cub like Rojo.

Frozen treats engage a jaguar’s sense of smell, taste, and touch, all of which are skills needed to help him become a confident and independent jaguar. Across the jaguar’s habitat, Olive the giant anteater embraces a chilly waterfall to cool down from the high temperatures. Carefully sprayed by keepers, the water soothes Olive’s long snout and dense fur, offering a welcome break from the Houston heat.

These moments may look fun, but they serve a greater purpose. Each activity is a form of enrichment, a critical part of how Houston Zoo cares for the physical and mental health of all animals in its care. These enrichment activities are carefully designed to keep the animals stimulated during the challenging summer months. Summer enrichment allows animals to exercise their natural behaviors and helps strengthen their innate instincts.