Zoo gives animals ice lollies to beat heatwave
Tropicaria Zoo provides frozen treats to animals to help them cool down during a heatwave.
How it was covered
- ITV was the only channel found covering it.
- Channel 5, BBC News, BBC One, BBC Two, Channel 4, GB News and Sky News: not found in tracked broadcasts.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story. Facts only one channel reported are attributed to it.
As a heat health alert remains in place across the region until Friday night, Tropicaria Zoo in Watchett has been finding inventive ways to help its animals stay cool. Keepers have been preparing frozen treats for the creatures, turning their normal food into large ice lollies. The lollies are made from fruit and vegetables for some animals, while others receive frozen bugs or meat. The zoo says the treats are not only a way to lower body temperature but also provide mental and physical stimulation, as the animals have to manipulate the icy blocks with their hands. Alongside the frozen snacks, many of the animals have access to large water pools where they can bathe and swim to beat the heat.
Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, grouped by how many channels reported each one. Select a dot to see the source excerpt.
| Claim |  |
|---|---|
| Only on one channel | |
| Tropicaria Zoo in Watchett is giving animals frozen treats and providing water pools to help them cool down during a heatwave. | |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
The report focused on the human-like struggle with the heat, linking the zoo's efforts to the broader heatwave affecting the region. It used a conversational, light-hearted tone, with the presenter commenting on the difficulty of the weather and the appeal of the ice lollies. The segment included direct quotes from a keeper explaining the dual purpose of the treats: cooling and enrichment.
- “it's not just humans trying to stay cool. Yes, at Tropicaria Zoo in Watchett, keepers have been coming up with inventive ways to fend off the heat.”
- “it's their normal food, be it fruit and veg, bugs or meat for the carnivores, frozen into nice big ice lollies”
- “they can manipulate it with their hands, getting their brains and their bodies working, it keeps them really stimulated”
Broadcast Timeline
News broadcasts tracked for this story, in time order.