Zookeepers find ways to keep animals cool in San Jose

SAN JOSE, Calif. (KGO) -- Temperatures continue to soar throughout the Bay Area and the continuous heat can do a number on your health if you're not careful.

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ABC7 News checked in at the emergency room and the zoo in San Jose to see how people and animals are doing.

At the fountains in front of the Fairmont Hotel, a popular spot to be, the water looks refreshing. There's a lot of kids enjoying themselves. At the zoo, the animals are trying to keep cool, too.

"I'll spray the canopies and stuff to kind of keep it misted and keep it nice and cool for them," one zookeeper at Happy Hollow Park & Zoo said.

The macaws are living the life, getting spritzed with water. It's a must when its in the 90s.

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The zookeepers are going from enclosure to enclosure, making sure the animals are comfortable. "The exhibits themselves are designed so that the animals have a place to retreat into the shade. We use water pools," Happy Hollow Zoo Director Valerie Riegel said.

A capybara from South America plopped into his private pool.

The animals are also getting chilled food. To keep the animals cool, the zookeepers give the animals a variety of frozen treats. They range from frozen blueberries to these ice cubes filled with meal worms. The meerkats got them on Wednesday.

"The jaguar gets what we call a bloodsicle. We use some of the blood from her meat diet, and we mix that with water and freeze it and put that out for her to lick up," Riegel said.

But not everyone is keeping cool. Some local emergency rooms are seeing an increase in patients checking in with symptoms of heat stroke. "They range from mild cramping, nausea, increased sweating and can progress to headache, fatigue, all the way to unconsciousness," Regional Medical Center Dr. Matthew Tripp said.

Those most susceptible are the elderly and young children. Doctors say prevention is the best medicine. Stay hydrated and stay out of the sun. And if you are outside, stay in the shade.

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