Rio zoo cools animals with ice treats

At Rio de Janeiro’s BioParque do Rio, zookeepers and veterinarians distributed custom frozen treats to about 650 animals across 124 species as part of a summer enrichment effort to help them cope with intense heat. The program featured species-tailored ice pops and blocks—watermelon pops for orangutans, melon-flavored treats for capuchin and spider monkeys, and blood- or meat-based frozen snacks for carnivores such as jaguars—designed both to cool animals and to promote natural feeding behaviours by slowing consumption and providing sensory stimulation.

The public was allowed to observe the activity, which staff used as an educational moment to explain how extreme temperatures affect animal physiology and behaviour. Keepers said the frozen snacks serve dual purposes: reducing body temperature during heat spikes and offering enrichment that encourages foraging, manipulation and cognitive engagement. Big cats were seen gnawing at large ice blocks embedded with meat chunks; primates licked fruit-filled pops; and omnivores received vegetable-based mixtures appropriate to their diets.

The ice-pop initiative is one element of a broader heat-mitigation strategy at the zoo. Officials reported adjustments including moving feeding times to cooler parts of the day, expanding shaded areas, increasing water availability, and deploying sprinklers and misting systems within enclosures. Animals are monitored closely for heat-stress indicators such as lethargy, reduced appetite or altered respiration, and staff stand ready to intervene when needed.

BioParque managers linked the stepped-up measures to a pattern of recurring heatwaves that have been intensifying in recent years, a trend scientists often attribute to climate change. The zoo said rising temperatures have required ongoing changes to husbandry practices and investments in cooling infrastructure to maintain welfare standards. Educators at the park emphasized that the approaches used for captive animals—cooling, behavioural enrichment and close monitoring—also reflect concerns for wildlife in natural habitats facing similar climatic pressures.

Officials added that the frozen-treat program and other cooling measures will remain in force while high temperatures continue, and that the zoo will keep exploring additional adaptations to protect animal health and wellbeing as extreme heat events become more frequent.