The Chiang Mai Zoo has brought out the heaters and blankets as temperatures drop and its tropical animals start feeling the cold.
Director Wuttichai Muangman said Dec. 14 that the zoo, at the foot of a mountain, gets quite cold at night. As such, warming bulbs have been installed in some pens and cages, while extra straw and hemp sacks have been given to other animals to keep them warm.
Special attention is also given to nutrition, Wuttichai said, with food supplemented with vitamins and minerals to keep their immune systems strong.
A lot of care, he said, must be given to birds and cold-blooded reptiles, which are kept around heaters throughout winter.
Humans, however, are loving the colder weather, Wuttichai said. The zoo is busy with people coming to see both animals and winter flowers. The zoo created a misty waterfall decorated with flowers and colored lights.
Tourists also can camp in tents near the penguins and seals, which are used to the cold. The zoo also has a night exhibit to observe nocturnal animal behavior.
