Get Your Ice-Cold Fishcicle! Keeping Cool at the Zoo

You might think that this week was a bit hot for the many adults and children who visited the Turtle Back Zoo in West Orange. You would be wrong.

Managers at the zoo say it was designed to keep animals and people comfortable—especially in extra warm weather.

On the children's end, the zoo provides spraying misters throughout (you've noticed those giant metallic flowers near the playground and carousel, no?) and jumping fountains that splash on the visitor path. There are also air conditioned exhibits (Reptile House, Bears), cool breezes on the shady train ride (no extra cost) and drinking fountains. Available for sale? Italian ice, water bottles and ice cream.

If you really want to beat the heat at the zoo, there are evening hours during the summer on Wednesdays.

Keepin the animals cool—now that's where it gets interesting. The otters are enjoying "fishcicles" or fish frozen in blocks of ice, carnivores such as the Amur leopard snack on "bloodcicles," the bears enjoy fruitcicles, and the elk, bison, kangaroos and Scottish Highland cows get sprinklers.

And the penguins, of course, have their pool.

"The safety of our animals and our visitors is our number one priority, and we've built in protection of both into the overall Turtle Back Zoo experience," said Dr. Jeremy Goodman, Zoo Director. "Summer can bring some extreme temperatures, but it is also a great time of year to see many of our animals in action."

The Turtle Back Zoo is located at 560 Northfield Avenue, West Orange, NJ. For Zoo membership and information about the Zoological Society of NJ, visit www.turtlebackzoo.com, become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/TurtleBackZoo, or follow @TurtleBackZoo on Twitter.