July has arrived, the rainy season is over, and summer is in full swing. In recent years, there have been many days with high temperatures, which is tough not only on people but also on animals. Some people might think, "Aren't animals that originally live in hot places okay?" However, African Bush Elephant, which live in arid regions, do not do well in Japan's humid summer.

Elephants often flap their ears when they feel hot. At Tama Zoo, animal keeper are taking measures to help the elephants stay as cool as possible.

African Bush Elephant enclosure has little shade and is exposed to intense sunlight, but the elephants bathe in a pool, and the evaporative cooling effect as water evaporates from their bodies helps to slightly lower their body temperature. It's the same principle as sweating. animal keeper also sometimes spray water in a mist from a hose to wet the elephants.

In addition to the pool, we've also created a mud area where elephants can enjoy mud baths. Elephants use mud to protect their skin from direct sunlight. The moisture in the mud also helps maintain humidity by getting into their skin's wrinkles, providing protection from UV rays and parasites.

While the elephants take actions to alleviate the heat during the day, animal keeper put up sunshades on the glass parts of the building to prevent the indoor temperature from rising. Furthermore, at night, they open some of the windows and doors inside the enclosure to create an escape route for air and improve ventilation, and they have also installed two fans in the passageway to release the accumulated warm air outside, so that the elephants can get a little more restful sleep.

On hot days, please come and see the elephants' ways of coping with the heat, such as bathing in water or mud. Everyone, please take care in the heat!

Photo above: (Left) Mud area of enclosure 1 (Right) of enclosure 2
Photo: Blower installed in the passageway
Photo below: Cheeky taking a mud bath

[Tama Zoo North Garden Animal Care and Exhibition Staff, Eiji Takeyama]

(July 12, 2013)