The heat is approaching step by step, and Shanghai has entered the "barbecue mode". Under the scorching sun, the animals living in Shencheng also endured the test of the summer heat. In order to ensure the smooth and healthy summer of animals, the "shovelers" of Shanghai Zoo have begun to use various tricks to prevent and cool down the animals.
The "Ice Factory" is mighty
There are many ways for animals to escape the heat, but there is an ancient but easy-to-use summer weapon - ice cubes. In previous years, the ice used by animals was purchased directly from the market, but since last year, in order to use ice more safely and efficiently, the Shanghai Zoo Feed Distribution Center (i.e. the "Animal Canteen") has begun to make its own ice cubes and transport them to animal cages.
Before each ice making, the staff will clean and disinfect the spare cold storage and stainless steel basin, place anti-slip mats, shelves, etc.; 1-2 days in advance, the stainless steel basin (about 1/3) with water will be placed in the standby cold storage, and the ice will be made under the condition of -18 ° C. In summer, according to the needs of the post, take out the ice cubes on the same day and deliver them on the same day.
Giant panda "scenery brothers" are happy to think about "summer"
Three weeks ago, the two brothers, the giant panda and the wind and starlight, began to implement the summer schedule. Every morning at 6 a.m., the keepers will wake them up, the giant pandas and the wind get up first thing is to go to the outdoor playground for a lap, but the starlight has a good appetite, go straight to the outfield perch for breakfast, and start a good day after eating.
After breakfast, they will take advantage of the fact that the temperature is not too high, and they can sleep on the perch in the shade. After falling asleep, it was a little hot, so I went back to incubating the air conditioner. In the air-conditioned room, the summer limited fruit ice is indispensable, and there are also many apple slices hanging in the exhibition area for the giant pandas to eat, which is both delicious and fun, so that the scenery brothers are happy to think about the "summer".
Two magic weapons to cool off – swimming and watermelon
South American tapirs are particularly afraid of heat, so the staff set up fans indoors and used water to cool them down. The South American tapirs "Fufu" and "Yangyang", who have always liked to hang out, stayed motionless in the pool and enjoyed it. During the high temperature, in addition to ensuring that the animals have clean drinking water, the keeper also ensures that the pool has sufficient water storage to make the animals who like to swim and play in the water happy in the summer. Once a week, the keepers provide fruit ice cream to the South American tapir babies to cool off.
Hippo family's father yuanyuan, mother small things, and two babies hi sister and hi sugar brother and brother, how to cool down? Hippos live in water all year round, so cooling down the water body is a magic weapon for hippo babies, which can prevent high temperatures from burning their skin and alleviate water loss in the body.
In addition, there is a big magic weapon to cool off - round and big watermelon! In addition to quenching thirst and cooling, watermelon is also rich in a variety of vitamins and mineral nutrients, which can meet the various nutritional needs of hippopotamus, so it is the best remedy for hippopotamus to prevent heat and cool down.
The members of the giraffe family are all "three highs" - high looks, high stature, high IQ, long eyelashes, and bright eyes. However, the hot days also heated the tall and beautiful long deer enough, and the shovelers did not slacken off, providing them with sweet and delicious watermelons every day to cool off; when the room temperature was too high, ice cubes were added to the giraffe indoor cage to help cool down.
Speaking of the representative of The Shanghai Zoo, there is no one who is the largest and most handsome elephant among the herbivores. The hot and dry weather makes the usually naughty elephant Momo honestly stay indoors, waiting for the keepers to spray water for it to cool down, and after spraying one side, it will consciously turn around and let the keeper spray the other side. In addition to bathing, watermelon twice a day is also essential.
Shanghai Zoo in these days for animals to eat watermelon reached 120 kilograms, to extreme high temperatures, watermelon consumption will reach about 300 kilograms, while the summer daily supply of animals to the vegetables also reached more than 10 kinds, 500 to 800 kilograms.
Say goodbye to the fur coat, and the refreshing shape of the "divine beast" welcomes the summer vacation
When the hot weather came, the cashmere coat on the alpaca of the "divine beast" also became a burden. Every year before the high summer heat, the shovelers will transform into hairdressers to trim the wool for the alpaca, and the "mythical beast" that bids farewell to the fur coat is a refreshing shape that can spend a refreshing and cool summer.
Right now, the alpacas are hiding under the gazebo in the middle of the exhibition area. The large gazebo provides them with shade; there is a food trough under the pavilion, plus the keepers turn on the spray at the right time, and the alpacas enjoy the "timely rain", eat fresh and tender grass when hungry, and drink water to moisten their throats when they are thirsty, even if the heat comes. If you feel tired, you can also go to the cabin next to you for a nap.
The cage is transformed into a "holiday villa", and the birds spend the summer without worry
High temperature and low pressure weather is not suitable for some birds. The main measures for preventing heat and cooling of birds are to set up shade nets, indoor fans, spray sprays, and plant greenery. Many of the cages are fully equipped, becoming "holiday villas". Since June, the team has successively "renovated" the exhibition areas such as wading birds, hornbills, and tropical bird pavilions.
The staff installed a black shade net, which can effectively reduce direct sunlight and transmittance, while slowing the rate of raindrops falling directly and reducing stress to animals. During the rainy season, the cage room will be very humid, and the fan can also accelerate the evaporation of moisture on the ground while ventilating and cooling, effectively reducing indoor humidity. Spraying is mainly used for parrot posts, because parrots have more feather powder, need to be cleaned regularly, every time the spray is opened, macaws and sunflower cockatoos will seize the favorable position directly below the spray, spread their wings and shake their heads, wash their heads. Other cages create different small environments by increasing greenery, such as peacocks, grey-winged trumpeters, toucans, etc. The densely planted plants and canopy screen out most of the direct light, and the trumpet birds hiding in the bushes and the toucans in the canopy look stress-free.
Primates take good care of them
Summer is coming, some primates living in the wild in the cold zone and high altitude need to be doubled by the breeders to do it, the golden snub-nosed monkey is originally an animal living at high altitude, covered with heavy fluff, came to Shanghai, not afraid of the cold but afraid of the heat.
In order to help primates survive the hot summer, as early as more than a month ago, the breeding farm keepers replaced a batch of old sprayers with poor spraying effects, and installed a full-coverage shade net above the cage to prevent the animals from direct sunlight, which first built a hardware facility network for them.
Coming from the equatorial rainforest, the gorillas originally had a natural resistance to sweltering heat and humidity, but the three-volt day in Shanghai gave these African natives a dismount, and the high temperature made them listlessly "Ge You Lie", a black hair absorbing heat. Indoor air conditioning "saved" them, the suitable temperature coupled with the careful care of the keepers, but also the beauty of the nourishment, the breeders also made their own vegetable and fruit sticks ice. Of course, considering the gastrointestinal health of animals, fruit and vegetable ice cubes are provided in limited quantities according to the specific temperature of each day. Watching the gorillas enjoy summer desserts, I can't help but make the outside tourists also look enviously.
In addition, the daily recipes of animals have also been adjusted to increase the number of juicy fruits such as tomatoes and watermelons, which can replenish the water and vitamins they consume during the high temperature season.
Cold-blooded animals are also afraid of heat? In the summer they are more joyful
Unlike mammals, the two reptiles have thick fur, but they are still more active in the summer heat and have a much better appetite. Although amphibians and reptiles are not afraid of high temperatures, keepers have also taken the necessary measures to prevent heat and cool down. Sprays are installed in the boxes, which can be used to cool them down on hot days, and every time the spray tortoises and lizards are excited, like they are in the shower, not to mention how much to enjoy. On the high temperature days of July and August, special watermelons were also added to the feed, and the watermelon cores with high sugar content were dug up to leave the melon skin, which was eaten with vegetables, which was both cool and healthy. Frogs are afraid of being too stuffy, this year's newly opened frog exhibition area is equipped with air conditioning, so that the indoor temperature will not be higher than 25 ° C, the LED lights installed on the display box have less heat, the cylinder is also equipped with a small fan to increase air flow, of course, there is an essential timing spray system.
Author: Li Jing
Editor: Li Jing