14 hours ago
An ice lolly fur this heat! Zoo animals cool off with a treat on Britain's hottest day of the year - after temperatures soared to scorching 32.2C
The tube at rush hour is not for the faint of heart - especially not during a heatwave.
But for sweaty commuters - and likely all other Brits who are struggling to keep cool as the mercury soars above 30C today in some areas - spare a thought for our furrier friends who might also not have access to aircon.
Zookeepers at Drusillas in Sussex have had to resort to unconventional ways to help stop their animals from overheating yesterday - the same afternoon an amber health alert was issued.
Frozen 'treats' on Popsicle sticks were created in efforts to keep animals cool on what was the hottest day of the year so far.
While animals cannot eat the same ice cream as humans can, they have special versions stacked with foods like peanuts, seeds, fresh herbs, and even herbal teas.
Enthusiasm varied across the park, with the meerkats spotted furiously licking to get to the tasty treats inside while the macaques took a much more laid back approach enjoying a slow nibble.
The armadillos attacked theirs with full force and the camels wasted no time taking huge chomps.
Zoo Section Leader, Jacinta Dawe, said: 'We use these ice lollies to keep the animals cool in the heat because animals do not sweat in the same way humans do.
'The animals just want to get their paws on the rewards hidden in the lollies, but as they grab, lick, nibble and break them down, their mouths and paws are cooled.
'The food inside is carefully measured and taken from their normal daily food allowance so although it's lots of fun to see them with ice lollies, they still sit within their monitored diets.'
She added: 'Ice lollies are a great way to keep the animals cool, but they also serve an enrichment purpose as well.
'Making the animals work for their food in creative ways, helps to stimulate them mentally and physically and forces them to use their instincts to look for food as they would in the wild.'
As well as the avant-garde gelato, the animals also had access to plenty of water and shade at the zoo - which saw a high of 26C.
Sprinklers have also been set up so that they can douse themselves during the day and keepers also hose down animals intermittently to bring down their body temperature.
Ms Dawe said: 'Some species at Drusillas really enjoy the heat and you'll spot them sunbathing, for instance our lemurs. They are sun worshippers that love to stretch out and catch some rays.
'But other animals, like our red pandas, don't enjoy the warm weather quite as much, so we lower the temperature in their habitats by spraying the area with a hose.
Having the food as an ice lolly also helps to stimulate the animals mentally and physically by forcing them to use their instincts to look for food as they would in the wild
'This additional water provides extra moisture in the air and the tree canopy, replicating the panda's natural environment and helping to keep them cool.'
'Other species, for example our giant anteater Raya, likes to actively bathe to cool off.
'So, we created her very own shower for her in warm weather, which she absolutely loves.
'Her all-time favourite way to "chill" is bathing in the anteater pool while being showered with water.
'We treated her to this today and she was thrilled, rolling around in the water to show her appreciation.
'Bathing is also great for her skin and coat, and a fun enrichment activity, so it's a fantastic experience for her all round.'
Temperatures in central London soared to 32.2C yesterday afternoon - making it the first day in 2025 to reach 30C and the hottest day of the year so far.
There are expected similar highs today and 34C predicted for tomorrow.
The Government's UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) activated a five-day alert from midday Thursday until Monday morning amid concerns that the heat could cause 'a rise in deaths, particularly among those ages 65 and over or with health conditions'.
The warning said 'significant impacts are likely across health and social care services due to the high temperatures' along with 'increased demand for power exceeding capacity' and 'heat affecting the ability of the workforce to deliver services'.
The UKHSA has previously placed most of England apart from the North under a lesser yellow heat-health until Sunday evening, but this has now been upgraded.
It is the first amber heat-health alert to be issued for two years since September 2023.
The heatwave is likely to officially end after Saturday, but the weather from Sunday into the middle of next week will stay warm with a range of 24C (75F) to 26C (79F).
