Animals get a hose down at Chiang Mai Zoo
Two giraffes cool off in the mist as Chiang Mai Zoo officials use water sprinklers to protect animals as temperatures hit 40C yesterday.
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Chiang Mai zookeepers hosed down cages and handed out ice cream and frozen meat to animals yesterday as the mercury topped 40 degrees Celsius in the northern capital.
When the temperature hit 38C, five water trucks were quickly despatched and zookeepers erected temporary shade screens, drew extra water supplies and installed sprinklers in cages holding animals particularly prone to heat stroke.
Zoo public relations chief Rossukhon Juikhamwong said sprinklers were installed in the panda viewing zone and the roof of their enclosure was periodically soaked with water.
Zoo veterinarian Kwanreun Duangsa-ard said the animals were being given special meals. Penguins were fed frozen tuna and tigers received frozen meat, while ice cubes and ice cream were given to elephants and orang-utans respectively.
Staff were on the lookout for signs of frustration among the animals so they could be separated if need be, said Kwanreun.
Meteorological Department officials had previously tipped tomorrow to be the Kingdom's hottest day this year as the sun will be directly above Bangkok at noon.
However, an official at Weather Forecast Division said there were many factors such as wind, rain, clouds and cool weather coming in from China that might prevent tomorrow being the hottest day.
He added that 40C in the North was normal for this time of year because of the orbital
movement of the Earth around the sun.
Chiang Mai is particularly affected because it sits in a geographical bowl, surrounded by mountains, which tends to make the city extra hot during the day but cool at night.
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