Page 18 - Gateways 2018 Spring
P. 18
Cold Weather Adaptations continued
Reticulated giraffes Even though exhibits such as Tropic
World offer year-round, temperature-
stay indoors in the winter. controlled habitats, wintertime adjustments
are still made for the animals living there.
For example, light cycles are shortened to
better simulate what happens in nature.
Seasonal light cycles govern how animals
sleep, feed, produce hormones, and display
other physiological changes throughout
the year.
Our nutrition staff pay attention to
what animals across the zoo are fed, and
in the winter, they take into account the
nutritional needs of animals whose species
are native to areas near the Equator. In the
wild, these animals experience a summer
wet season and a winter dry season.
During the former, food is typically more
bountiful and of a higher quality than
during the winter. Many female animals
breed in the fall because they have eaten
plenty of rich, high-quality food for several
months and their body is ready to provide
for their young.
Staff try to mimic the seasonal changes
in the diet of these animals, which have
evolved to help them thrive at different
times of year. By providing the animals
with what they would expect to receive in
their wild habitats, we are ensuring a more
natural and higher quality of life.
18 GATEWAYS | THE ART OF WEATHERING THE WINTER
