Beijing News Express (reporter Zhang Lu intern Wang Miaomiao) since the "ambush", humid and hot weather has enveloped the entire city. Blowing air conditioning and holding watermelons are many people's summer dreams. On July 20, the reporter saw at the Beijing Zoo that the pandas who had eaten iced watermelon and enjoyed the cool breeze were completely "lying flat" and playing comfortably on their legs.
It is reported that animal heat protection and cooling has become a routine work of Beijing Zoo, staff in the outdoor sports field to add ice cubes, fixed point open spray, in the feed to increase juicy fruits, simulating the original habitat environment of animals, restoring animal survival habits, so that animals can easily spend the summer.
At the Beijing Zoo Panda Pavilion, keepers prepare ice cubes and fruits, and the giant panda is approaching its "afternoon tea". Beijing News reporter Hou Shaoqing photographed
Giant pandas and polar bears play with ice cubes and freeze three days in advance
Giant pandas hold ice cubes and shake their heads, one moment holding the ice cube under the armpit, the next moment sticking the ice cube to the face, the cute look attracts tourists to take pictures. Polar bears also love ice cubes, not only licking with their tongues, but also shaving them with sharp claws and making their own "smoothies".
Ice cubes are a "summer must-have". In the hot summer, the feeding department will uniformly distribute large ice cubes, which have a net weight of about 20-30 pounds, which need to be frozen in the feed room ice warehouse three days in advance, and the staff will send 8-10 pieces of ice at a time. Giant pandas, polar bears, red pandas and other animals can enjoy the "refreshing" of ice cubes.
Cao Yani, technical director of the welfare group of the Beijing Zoo Breeding Team, introduced that the Panda Pavilion Sports Field specially made a stainless steel ice hockey as a plump toy, which can avoid the rapid melting of ice cubes. "When the ice melts, there are balls that can be used as toys for pandas, making them more fresh."
In the red panda exhibition area of Beijing Zoo, the keepers prepared watermelons for the red pandas. Beijing News reporter Hou Shaoqing photographed
Mung bean soup, fruit "tube enough"
In the polar bear exhibition area, the air conditioner blew out a cool breeze, the staff brought two large watermelons, and the polar bears feasted.
Cao Yani said that under normal circumstances, the staff will open 24-hour constant temperature air conditioning in indoor venues, and when the outdoor temperature reaches more than 26 ° C, the keepers will open the doors in the middle of the indoor and outdoor areas to allow animals to enter and exit freely.
At the same time, the Beijing Zoo has prepared 11 kinds of heat-proof and cooling feed fruits for animals, with a daily supply of about 826 kilograms, of which 396 kilograms of watermelon alone. In order to ensure the freshness of the ingredients, the green feed (alfalfa, mulberry, rye grass) is delivered at night, and it takes no more than 15 hours from harvesting to animals eating them in their mouths.
The staff also provided mung bean soup and solid fruit drinks for giant pandas, polar bears, brown bears and other animals. "White sugar is also added to the mung bean soup to enhance the taste."
In the rhino exhibition area of Beijing Zoo, keepers prepare chilled watermelons and apples for rhinos. Beijing News reporter Hou Shaoqing photographed
"Mud bath + water bath" to create a natural environment
The panda hall sports field is surrounded by "fairy qi", and the pandas slowly shuttle through the cool water mist. This is an outdoor cooling spray specially prepared by the Beijing Zoo for giant pandas, each spray time is 20 seconds, two to three minutes.
The elephant playground is equipped with spray equipment and automatic induction water outlet system, as long as the animal is felt coming, the water outlet system will automatically produce water, which can also be seen in the rhino sports field. Cao Yani introduced that the spray equipment of the animal sports field has basically reached full coverage, and the spray operation of the sports field is carried out regularly every day to enhance the body surface comfort of the animals, and animals such as giant pandas, zebras, and Malay tapirs can experience the fun of "water park".
Animal bathing and cooling are also exquisite, and the combination of "mud bath" and "water bath" creates a natural environment for them. According to the staff, rhinos are afraid of direct sunlight and like to roll in the mud pond, and the mud wrapped in the skin can avoid them from being bitten by mosquitoes and can also play a role in sun protection.
Beijing News reporter Zhang Lu intern Wang Miaomiao
Photojournalist Hou Shaoqing
Edited by Bai Shuang Proofreader Li Ming