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Hot, hot hot! A lot of humans have been finding the recent weather just a bit too hot. Some of the animals at the Lake District Wildlife Park have also been feeling the heat, but they are clever at finding ways to stay cool. Their expert Keepers also have a range of different methods that they use to ensure their animals stay well and comfortable. However, did you know that some of the animals at the Lake District Wildlife Park appear to enjoy the heat?

Fred, Margaret, Donatello, Raphael, and Michaelangelo, the Giant African Spurred Tortoises just can’t seem to get enough of the warm weather. They have a small wooden house that can get extremely hot once the sun warms it up. However, they don’t seem to be too worried about heading outside into the fresh air and will just laze around until they have worked up enough energy to move. In the wild they live in the Sahara Desert, and so it is to be expected that they cope well in extremes of temperature.

The Ring-Tailed and Black & White Lemurs can often be seen sitting worshipping the sun. Then they will take a break when their Keeper brings them an ice lolly made of an interesting mix of cucumber, parsnip, seeds, and nuts. They also have been known to be partial to a beetroot ice pop!

The Tapirs will lie flat out on the grass or head down to the river for a paddle. This is then followed by a watermelon ice bowl which they lick and slurp up just like an ice cream.

Max and Quaver the Macaws live in the wild in the Amazon Rainforest, and so cope extremely well with extremes of temperature. Life just carries on as normal as they crunch away on nuts and seeds. However, when their Keeper arrives with water for a fine mist spray shower, they have quite a lot to say and will squawk and screech!

The animals that are not sun worshippers will find a shady spot to lie in. If you are a pig a muddy spot to wallow in is even better. Having an iced water bottle to lie on is another unique way that the Keepers help Hairy Mary, Precious, Angel, Silver, Topaz and Scruffs the Guinea Pigs to keep cool. Mei Li and Charu the Red Pandas also keep their temperatures down with cold water bottles, frozen grapes and cherries and a siesta in the shade.

For the humans that don’t like the heat, a gentle stroll around the Lake District Wildlife Park is a nice way to spend a sunny day. There are shady places to stop and rest whilst watching the Flamingos or Scottish Wildcats. There are undercover areas where you can eat in the shade. If like the animals you fancy an ice pop, they are available in the shop, but you might not get beetroot or parsnip!