Yoshi and Peach dally under the sun, tumbling in their aquatic tank. The brother and sister vie for attention from the families gathered on the other side of the glass.
These siblings are North American river otters living at the Palm Beach Zoo & Conservation Society in West Palm Beach, and they could teach their human admirers a couple lessons to stay cool as the heat wave trudges on.
In early July, global temperatures soared, making this month the hottest on record, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. In South Florida, a heat advisory was issued on July 5 and has been extended through at least next weekend, alerting people of dangerous conditions due to temperatures peaking in the mid-90s and a heat index reaching to between 105 and 112 degrees.
And because each animal has its own needs, caring for bears to dogs to horses takes special consideration.
Yoshi and Peach aren’t sweating the 100-degree heat index.
One of their favorite ways to cool off is their version of “snowball fights.” Before the day’s hottest peaks, zookeepers will place tubs of ice in their tank for them to play in.
“We love seeing them dig in and start playing with it and eating it,” said Palm Beach Zoo Marketing Director Christine DeMichael.
As the heat continues to approach or break records, animal caretakers like those at Palm Beach Zoo are taking extra steps to ensure their critters are cared for.
Black bears Lewis and Clark get their own frosty treat in the form of popsicles made in 32-gallon buckets.
“The boys just love ice days,” said Carnivore Supervisor Amarylis Celestina. “They’ll be munching on those things for hours.”
Aside from their apex-predator-sized popsicles, the boys have fans, misters, freshwater pools and shady rooms to cool off during the hottest parts of the day.
“They’ll go to their shelter, cool off, and then come right back outside where they have the pool — and both of these boys love to swim,” Celestina said. “They love to splash around in the water and make bubbles.”
But no one’s got it as good as Sydney the koala.
In his climate-controlled room, Sydney basks in the fan, chomps on eucalyptus leaves and lounges as if all problems stop at his enclosure’s doors.
Because koalas are so sensitive, his habitat never exceeds 75 degrees. A koala’s native Australian climate is hot, but a different type of heat than Florida’s, Celestina said.
“Every animal is different, and you have to listen to that animal to know how best to care for it,” said Michael Terrell, who is on the animal care team.
For example, when it’s 80 degrees, they’ll have to turn up the heat for some of the monkeys and reptiles because it’s too cold for them.
Palm Beach Zoo selects only heat-tolerant animals, so these accommodations are more for comfort. But for older animals, intense heat can be life threatening.
“We take such great care of our animals that they live past the lifespans you’d see in the wild, so we do have some animals that we have to keep closer tabs on,” Terrell said.
The same logic applies to pets too. Leaving an older dog or cat in the heat even for five minutes can be dangerous, he said.
And there are ways to keep pets safe during a heat wave too.
If dogs have to be outside, they should have access to shade and water and be walked during the coolest parts of the day, said Palm Beach Animal Care and Control community programs manager Yleana Arias, who works with over 400 animals.
“If the pavement is too hot for our bare feet, their pads will burn,” Arias said. “And overheating is a serious concern for certain breeds.”
It’s not always the hairiest dogs who are most susceptible to the heat, but the brachycephalic ones, or smushed-faced dogs.
In other words, the pug will have a harder time regulating body temperature than the border collie.
“Their bodies inside aren’t made for this,” she said. “Just walking around during the day, it’s like they’re snoring. They can’t breathe properly.”
And with a hotter climate inviting more mosquitoes, there’s higher risk of heartworm transmission, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
For pets that haven’t yet found a home, shelters are having to adapt to keep them cool and healthy.
At Big Dog Ranch Rescue in Loxahatchee, a rescue shelter with over 500 dogs, the staff has cut walk times during midday to 10 minutes, and they water the turf before letting the dogs out.
“When dogs overheat, It can cause permanent kidney damage and they can die from it,” said Lauree Simmons, founder and CEO of Big Dog Ranch. Simmons warns it’s not always obvious when dogs are on the brink of heat exhaustion, but there are signs to look out for. One tell is when their tongue, gums or eyelids turn a deep, beet-red. Because dogs don’t sweat like humans, they pant to regulate their body temperature, making excessive panting another clue.
“When they breathe in hot air, it’s not cooling them down, it’s just heating them up,” she said. When these signs are detected, Simmons recommends gently hosing the dog off under a shady porch, but stay away from ice baths, as it could shock their system. And if nothing changes, as with all animals, it’s best to seek veterinary care.
“Heat exhaustion can happen very quickly,” she said. “You have to watch them because dogs will keep going until they drop.”