As temperatures across the UK soar, reaching record-breaking highs and leading to a red weather warning, it has left a lot of people in a sticky situation. The list of places being forced to close includes schools, restaurants and shops.
The most recent addition to the list is zoos across the country. Zoos such as Chester Zoo are being forced to close their doors for two days until Wednesday 20 July, when temperatures are expected to drop closer to 20 degrees again.
Another popular zoo, Yorkshire Wildlife Park, near Doncaster, is being forced to close due to expected highs of 40 degrees.
Temperatures are set to hit 35 degrees in Chester, so it’s no surprise that they are closing, for everyone’s safety.
Animal Wellbeing
As well as closing, Zoos are having to take extra measures and precautions in order to keep all of the animals safe. It’s not an easy task.
Colchester Zoo, in Essex, has provided frozen bottles of water, ice enrichment and sprinklers to help the animals cope with the heat. Other zoos followed suit, treating the animals to frozen foods and homemade animal-friendly ice-pops.
Animals at London Zoo were given “frozen sugar-free iced tea, filled with nuts and seeds”.
How to keep your own animals safe
While the zoo animals are being safely cared for by rangers, remember that your own furry friends might be struggling. The RSPCA advise you to keep your pets safe by:
- Using a pet-safe sun cream on exposed parts of your pet’s skin
- Making sure they have shade
- Giving them constant access to fresh water
- Putting ice cubes in their water bowl
- Giving them damp towels to lie on