While the Elmwood Park Zoo’s bison and reindeer are adjusting to this week’s below-freezing temperatures, Duncan, a 14-year-old Nigerian dwarf goat, is having trouble coping.
So this week, he’s sporting a “goat coat” — a navy nylon jacket that gives him the extra layer of insulation he needs for a goat his age, writes Danielle Fox for whyy.org.
[uam_ad id=”54865″]
“He loves it,” said Marina Haynes, the Norristown, Pa., zoo’s general curator. “A lot of animals are not comfortable wearing that kind of stuff, and I wasn’t sure if he was going to take to it or not, but he did, and he’s comfortable walking around with his coat on. It’s really cute.”
Many of the animals scuttle in and out all day, with freezer flaps on their enclosure doors to stop cold breezes from blowing inside their heated dens, said Haynes.
Others are happy chilling outdoors during the cold snap. This includes bobcats and otters, which enjoy playing in snowy weather — and, surprisingly, African lions.
But the giraffes and tropical ocelots, which need a hot and humid climate, are stuck inside — although the giraffes aren’t short of entertainment.
Indoors, they enjoy watching feature films.
“The funniest thing ever is watching a giraffe watching a Harry Potter movie,” Haynes said.
Watching movies provides extra enrichment and stimulation the animals might otherwise miss from staying indoors for an extended period of time.
Elmwood Park Zoo is continuing its winter care appeal. To donate click here.
To read the complete story click here.
[uam_ad id=”54875″]
