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Zoo News - Volume 38, June 2018

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Zoo News m em b er maga zin e 12 ANIMAl WElFARE HOW TO KEEp WArm IN WINTEr Just because you might feel the cold during the winter months, doesn't mean that all of the animals at our zoos do too! In fact while great effort is taken to keep some animals comfortable during the cooler months, some other animals actually thrive in these frosty conditions. lots of animals are perfectly conditioned for cooler weather – Bison grow an especially thick coat over winter, Snow leopards have thick pads on their feet to handle cold conditions under foot and Red Pandas use their long thick tails as a scarf. Being native to Australia, most of the animals at Healesville Sanctuary are well-adapted to winter conditions too and they don't need much help staying snug and cosy over the cooler months. For the team at the Sanctuary it's more about making sure we can keep temperatures cool enough for some of our smallest and most precious species that originate from Alpine areas. Our Mountain Pygmy-possums, Southern Corroboree Frogs, Alpine She-oak and Guthega Skinks all rely on the temperatures dropping and staying low over a significant period of time to induce hibernation or semi-hibernation. This hibernation period is crucial to their breeding success. All of these species are part of Zoos Victoria 21 Priority Species list so getting their hibernation and breeding right is key to securing their future success in the wild. While these animals are perfectly adapted to winter, some others that live at our zoos are not. At Werribee Open Range Zoo, we care for 14 Vervet Monkeys and provide the troop with a range of options so they can keep warm through the colder months. With so many monkeys to care for, it is important there are enough spaces available for the entire troop. We provide heat pads, heat mats and polycarbonate shelters as well as natural windbreaks so they can escape the cold if they choose. While in their night dens they have access to split-system heating and cooling which keeps the temperature balmy all year round. We provide heat pads, heat mats and polycarbonate shelters as well as natural windbreaks so they can escape the cold if they choose.

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