MD Zoo helps animals beat the heat, both 4 legged and 2 legged

BALTIMORE - He kind of reminds you of your mom's fat cousin when he's swimming down the ocean, except for the ears.

But Sampson and most of the elephants at the Maryland Zoo love their elephant sized pool on a day like this.

Although evolution and life on the Savannah's of Africa have taught them many other ways to stay cool.

They flap their big ears because it helps cool their blood....bet ya didn't know that or this.

“Dolly prefers to do the mud bathing you can look at their an see she's coated in mud all the time she goes more for the facial route than the pool treatment.” Zoo Elephant Manager Mike McClure says. “They always cake on dust after their wet it keeps them wetter for longer it keeps the water trapped into those wrinkles."

But for critters that would rather be hunting seals on the ice...a dip in the pool and a big block of frozen smelt on ice is the best they can do high heat and humidity.

Zoo trainers say the polar bears are remarkably adaptable but they watch them careful for any signs of heat stress.

“We look for overly panting if they're looking like they're really sweltering we actually watch the heat index a lot if we anticipate it being a hot day we take all the precautions for them." Polar Bear Manager Robyn Johnson says.

For some animals this is nothing.

Camels are used to drier heat but they'll do okay.

Some animals have cool houses to go into to get out of the sun this one for the snow owls even has a fan.

And for prairie dogs nothing stops them from being cute...heat or cold.

But what about the most advanced animal of them all?

The one who put all the other critters in the zoo in the first place.

The one on two legs that wears hot pants on a hot day.

The zoo has had vast migrating herds of these critters all summer...traipsing across the pampas from the wilds outside of Maryland on even the hottest days.

Because these two legged free running animals are looking for a good time.

"Very difficult, very difficult to stay cool.” Michelle Jean from Pembroke, Massachusetts says. “Just finding the fans and drinking water the mists are a great thing."

The zoo says it has had pretty good crowds during this hot summer.

They're open regular hours and for the two legged animals the zoo have plenty of cooling station scattered around along with a lot of shady trees around the park.