Ice pops cool down monkeys in Brazil at a Rio zoo during a rare winter heat wave

RIO DE JANEIRO – Upon recognizing a zookeeper encumbered with a bucket stuffed with fruit-flavored ice pops, black spider monkeys in Rio de Janeiro’s BioParque gracefully swung their method against him on Friday, chattering excitedly.

While it is technically nonetheless winter in Brazil, with spring because of get started on Saturday, a heat wave has engulfed the country for the reason that starting of the week, inflicting people and animals alike to eagerly greet any probability of cooling down.

“Normally they get a break from the heat in the winter, but it’s been so hot. They have even shed their winter layer of fur,” mentioned zookeeper Tadeu Cabral, who passed out some treats, whilst others had been scattered round.

The ice pops are a part of the monkeys’ well-being program. They supply thermal convenience, and dispersing the popsicles in other places additionally stimulates their behavioral want for foraging.

For the monkeys, the ice pops are watermelon, pineapple or grape flavored. But for Simba, the zoo’s lion, the ice deal with is made up of blood or minced meat.

Koala the elephant, now greater than 60 years previous, used to be rescued from a Sao Paulo circus in the Nineteen Nineties. She wrapped her trunk across the block of frozen fruit, positioned it beneath her foot and squashed the deal with, sooner than slurping it up.

To cool her down much more, a zookeeper sprayed Koala with a hose.

“Elephants love water. She also throws mud on her back to protect herself from the heat and parasites, like mosquitoes. When wet, the mud layer gets thicker and helps her even more,” mentioned Daniel Serieiro, a biologist at the zoo.

Carlos Acuña, a vacationer from Costa Rica, regarded on as Koala used to be sprayed with water.

“It’s great that they’re showering her, that they are making her feel comfortable. The heat is so intense,” he mentioned.

Temperatures are because of exceed 40 C (104 F) in Sao Paulo state and the central-west and north areas, in keeping with the National Institute of Meteorology.

Abnormally prime temperatures, led to by way of international warming, build up the chance of wildfires. On Thursday, firefighters in Brazil’s northeastern Bahia state battled flames fanned by strong winds.