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View all search resultsSemarang Zoo turns to frozen meat, fruit cocktails to beat scorching heat
The Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) data showed temperatures in Semarang reached 37.1 degrees Celsius over the past week, putting the Central Java city among the hottest places in Indonesia during that period.
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Semarang Zoo in Central Java reopens on July 15, 2020 after closing for three months due to the COVID-19 pandemic. During the reopening, the zoo also introduced two tiger cubs, which are named Covi and Vivid as they were born during the outbreak. (Tribun Jateng/Hermawan Handaka)
F
rom fruit cocktails to frozen meat, keepers at Semarang Zoo in Central Java are finding creative ways to keep animals cool as a prolonged dry season brings scorching temperatures to Indonesia.
Bimo Wahyu Widodo Dasir Santoso, director of PT Taman Satwa Semarang, which manages the zoo, has ordered staff to closely monitor the animals and adjust their daily care and feeding routines to cope with the heat.
“We monitor temperatures manually by observing the animals’ behavior in their enclosures. Temperatures of around 38 to 39.5 degrees Celsius are still within the range that animals can tolerate, although tolerance varies by species,” Bimo said on Friday as quoted by Kompas.com.
The Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) data showed temperatures in Semarang reached 37.1 degrees over the past week, putting the Central Java city among the hottest places in Indonesia during that period.
Bimo said there had been no noticeable decline in the animals’ appetite due to the heat so far, but the zoo had taken precautionary measures, modifying their diets and providing fresh food as enrichment tailored to each species.
Primates such as orangutans and monkeys are given fresh fruit cocktails, while carnivores including tigers and lions are fed frozen meat. For herbivores, keepers add ice cubes to drinking water to help keep it cool.
“We replace the animals’ drinking water every three hours to prevent it from becoming too warm under direct sunlight. We also provide weekly vitamin supplements to help maintain their health,” Bimo said.
