BYRON, Minn. – Zookeepers at Oxbow Park treated animals with custom popsicles during the June heat wave. Naturalist Clarissa Schrooten said she freezes in fruits for the bear – and a little honey too. Animals that aren’t inclined to fruits get meat frozen in. For the otters it’s fishsicles. Keeping animals cool during the early summer heat was critical, especially those still shedding their winter coats, Schrooten said. Zookeepers regularly hosed down the concrete floors and set high-power fans on animal pens. Many animals, she said, retreated to their dens to cool off but come out to get hosed down.
Staying cool. Honeysicles, meatsicles, fishcicles.