Sedgwick County Zoo’s clever methods to keeping animals cool

WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — Animals like 30-year-old brown bear Mallory at the Sedgwick County Zoo are staying cool during this heat wave. This is in large part thanks to the clever techniques the zoo keepers at Sedgwick County Zoo use. 

In the morning, a zoo keeper will take a frozen block of ice out to drop into Mallory’s pool. The ice block includes fish, fresh fruit, and other treats that the bear enjoys. 

Zoo staff says these ice treats are a great way to engage their animals in swimming activities as well. 

“You’re always trying to find new ways to present food items to the animals. You want to keep it new and diverse, and not just the same old, same old all the time. So we’re scattering items or hiding them in boxes or freezing them,” said Zoo Keeper Brian Helten. 

The best time to visit the zoo is in the early morning when they open, according to the SCZ. This gives visitors the best chance to see animals out and live in their habitats.

The animals tend to move inside to the behind-the-scenes areas, where they have fans and fresh water, in the afternoon.