Treats help zoo folk stay frosty

TREE kangaroos enjoy artificial mist, tigers lick their “ice cream”, ostriches take a shower… The Australian National Zoo and Aquarium is helping animals stay cool when Canberra is baked by the scorching sun.

A heatwave swept Australia with temperatures soaring to 30°C and 40°C in the past two weeks.

In the zoo, the two tree kangaroos take shelter in the shade of trees and their “balcony”. The boy was enjoying the artificial mist, while the girl was sitting on the spring.

“Tree kangaroos are from rain forests where there can be quite wet,” said zoo keeper Brendan Sheean. “But in Canberra, it is quite dry. We give tree kangaroos plenty of shade.”

They also created artificial mist from several springs. “When they feel hot, they can go somewhere nice and cool,” Sheean said.

The tree kangaroos get ice blocks. “We make ice blocks depending on the species of animals,” said the zoo keeper.

“For tree kangaroos, their favourite food is avocado.” Sheean said they added it into the ice blocks which were licked by the tree kangaroos.

For the two tigers in the zoo, their “ice cream” was of different flavours – meat and blood in ice,” zoo keeper Katie Ness said. The tigers, apparently enjoying the snack, lick it from time to time.

“Tigers like swimming in the pond. When they swim or have a rest in the pond, we won’t disturb them.”

The zoo monitors the animals closely, giving showers to ostriches and water for the koala named Matilda.