Animals at wildlife park get cool treats to stave off heatwave

By Amy Reast via SWNS

Animals at a wildlife park have been pampered by keepers to help keep them cool in the heatwave - including giving them smoothies, ice lollies and showers with sprinklers.

Keepers at Cotswold Wildlife Park & Gardens have been giving the animals VIP treatment to help them handle the scorching temperatures.

Adorable pictures taken over the course of this week show the park's 86-year-old giant tortoise, George, enjoying a shower from a reptile keeper.

Others show their red-bellied, crowned and ring-tailed lemurs enthusiastically tucking into frozen rainbow smoothies.

Elsewhere, their tamanduas enjoyed sticking their noses into fresh watermelons.

Wolverines were also given cooling watermelons and a blood ice block which didn't take long for them to sink their teeth into and devour.

The keepers said the animals loved every minute - especially George the tortoise who has been at the 160-acre Park since it opened in 1970.

They say not only did it help keep the animals cool and refreshed, but it was good for their enrichment too.

Chris Kibbey, assistant animal manager at Cotswold Wildlife Park & Gardens: "With a heatwave forecast, it is important that animals have access to shade and water at all times.

"It is also a good opportunity for keepers to use their enrichment skills to ensure that all the animals could cool off in novel ways.

"The lemurs had frozen smoothies made using ingredients from their normal diet – berries, pear and even carrot blended up made delicious rainbow treats which they enjoyed.

"Watermelon is a delicious summer treat and perfect for our tamandua who use their strong claws to break through the skin before using their snout and tongue to lap up the insides.

"Finally, not to be left out, George the giant tortoise, the park's oldest resident at 85, and his friends appreciated a hose down before slowly wandering to their pool for a soak".