Nanjing has formally entered Shufu, or dog days on Tuesday. The highest temperature will be above 35°C in these days. With the scorching temperature, many places appear a ‘BBQ’ mode.
However, we are not the only species fighting against summer heat. Our animal friends are doing so as well. Let’s go to Hongshan Forest Zoo to have a look at those cute animals who are on their belly.
It is said that we exist in the hot summer by relying on air-conditioners. Like human, baby pandas avoid summer heat by enjoying air-conditioning and eating iced apples. According to their keeper Li Qin, “The air-conditioner keeps the temperature at around 23 degrees because the temperature of their wild living conditions is below 25 degrees. They are covered with heavy fur. Therefore, baby pandas can’t bear the heat.”
Baby monkeys like to lie on their belly with this pose. Look at their flexible moves and soft bodies. Ummm, won’t they hurt their bellies? Every morning, keepers come to provide ice to cool the high temperature for the primates including ring-tailed lemurs, mandrills, common squirrel monkeys, gibbons. These primates mainly rely on ice and fans during summer. They spend nearly one ton of ice each day.
The summer afternoon is always filled with laziness. The staff usually start their days at 7 o’clock in the morning. To enable baby koalas to enjoy their first summer in Nanjing, keepers will pick up baby koalas in their arms to have an outdoor walk when it has the right temperature.
The summer afternoon is always filled with laziness. The staff usually start their days at 7 o’clock in the morning. To enable baby koalas to enjoy their first summer in Nanjing, keepers will pick up baby koalas in their arms to have an outdoor walk when it has the right temperature.
Different from baby panda, elephant need taking showers with cold water to cool down. This elephant in the picture enjoys lying in the mud, ready to embrace the world.
Elephants like water so that they usually stay in water for 10 to 20 mins. After having cold shower, elephants often rub ‘sunscreen lotion’ all over their bodies. The ‘sunscreen’ is actually the mud. Rolling in the mud can protect elephants from mosquitoes and sunlight.
Lying on the belly is a relaxing pose which can not only make you cool down but also become cute. Do you get this skill?
