5 days ago
Christmas in August? Japan zoo's bears, elephants given ice blocks to cool off from heat
SAPPORO -- As days with temperatures peaking over 35 degrees Celsius continue to be recorded across Japan, bears and elephants at Maruyama Zoo in the capital of the northernmost prefecture of Hokkaido were given gifts of ice blocks on Aug. 5.
Visitors to the zoo in the city's Chuo Ward could see the animals hugging the cool blocks of ice and scarfing down food placed inside the ice pillars.
The ice was provided by Nishioka Kokusho Construction Co., a Sapporo-based company that has been supplying ice to the zoo since 2018. On this day, a total of about 3 metric tons of crushed ice was offered to the polar bears, Himalayan bears and Asian elephants.
The polar bears skillfully dug out and ate horse mackerel embedded in the ice, while the Himalayan bears and Asian elephants enjoyed fruit ice containing apples and bananas.
Rikaho Wakatsuki, 8, a third-grade elementary school student visiting from Yokohama, commented, "It's hot in Hokkaido too, but the animals looked cool and happy after receiving the ice."
