BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — August has seen some extremely high temperatures and people aren’t the only ones trying to beat the heat.
At the California Living Museum Zoo, staff members are getting creative with ways to help their animals cool off during the summer heat.
Take a look at the video of Cinnamon and Louie, two longtime residents at the zoo. These bears are given blocks of ice with their favorite treats like fruit or fish frozen inside. These zoosicles can keep them entertained for hours.
Zoo manager Lana Fain said some of the animals take care of themselves by staying inside their dens while others need a bit of extra help cooling off. Either way she appreciates when guests ask about the zoo’s residents and wants them to know the animals are doing just fine.
“Every summer it gets a little steamy here in Bakersfield. We’re used to it. The animals are used to it too, but we still need to keep them cool and happy and comfortable," she said.
The zoo also puts on misters and sprinklers, and puts out frozen water bottles and buckets of crushed iced for the animals.
When it comes to the recent wildfires, Fain said she has seen the animals noticing the smoke in the air but none have shown any signs of health issues caused by the poor air quality.
The zoo is closed due to COVID-19 state guidelines, but Fain said the staff and the animals miss their guests very much and can not wait to open the zoo gates again soon.
