Houston Zoo helping animals cool down in extreme heat

HOUSTON (FOX 26) - Yeah, you know exactly how this gorillas is feeling, but he needs to be patient. Relief is on the way. Now, the elephants? They're doing okay. They have a pool and people bringing them snacks, and Braydon Avultl is jealous.

"Do you think it's more than a 100? Oh it's a lot more than a 100! How much more than a 100? It's super sweaty," he said while his sister nodded in agreement.

That's if you can sweat. To keep these pachyderms passive, the zoo makes sure they get their pool time, otherwise they get a bit cranky.

"Oh yes they do. Each one has its own personality. You don't want them cranky. Not at all," said handler Mandy Rinker.

It's not just a matter of comfort. Not all the animals are from warm climates, so some of the animals have air conditioned enclosures to keep them happy and active. Many of the animals like meerkats have shelters to keep them out of the sun.

Speaking of happy and active. The zoo wants to keep visitors coming in, so they have 12 air conditioned buildings as well as fans and water fountains. Surprisingly, attendance does not drop during the summer heat.

"The kids are unstoppable. I think it's the parents. The parents are holding them back. We see a lot of parents giving the kids water after which we recommend," said Ryan Draper.

Not every animal  gets a shelter or pool. The gorillas have their own deal when it gets this hot -- popsicles with fruit in them. Granted they're getting pelted with them by primate specialist Amy King, but when it's this hot you don't hear any complaints.