Prague Zoo Uses Ice Cubes to Cool Polar Bears Amid Record Heat
Zoo staff in Prague placed large amounts of ice in the polar bears' outdoor area to help the animals cope with an early summer heatwave.
Facing an unprecedented European heatwave, Prague Zoo responded by scattering massive quantities of ice in the polar bears' external enclosure, providing immediate relief for Aleut and Gregor. The bears enthusiastically rolled among the cubes, a behavior that also serves as environmental enrichment. The zoo began the ice-cooling program two years ago as a response to climate-driven temperature spikes, initially planning to start in July and August.
However, an early surge pushed temperatures to a Czech record of 41.9 °C on June 28, prompting an accelerated effort. spokesperson Filip Mašek noted the experience will lead to earlier ice orders for future hot seasons. In past years, the zoo has extended similar cooling tactics to otters, elephants, parrots and even gorillas with frozen fruit treats.
Why it matters
It shows how zoos are adapting animal care to increasingly extreme summer temperatures caused by climate change.
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