A video poem: How arctic animals keep cool at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo

CLEVELAND - Workers at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo were keeping the animals comfortable Wednesday, as temperatures soared into the 90s.

What follows below is the verbatim to a video poem (to the left), highlighting some of the methods workers used.

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People we saw were hot at the zoo.
And they wondered, what do the animals do?

The ones from the arctic -
Do they get sick?

Not at all, not at all.

Take the polar bear, with powerful, furry paws.
No snow here - just cool waterfalls.

She is from a blustery abode.
Her favorite temps, are freezing cold.

So, at the zoo,
A substitute.

Some man-made icy treats...
Boy! Those are some good eats!

"We put fruits and vegetables sometimes fish in 'em."*
A nice little snack before din-din.

Then there are the reindeer - also called "caribou."
All hot and bothered... No pool to get into.
So, what do they do?

"Go inside of the shelter and get out of direct sun."**

Don't worry - they keep cool...
They go inside often, as a rule.

And here's the wolves exhibit - built on a hillside.
It's where these creatures reside.

They stay cool - with all of that shade:
"To accommodate for warm summer days."**

Under the trees they hang back.
Always together... as they move in a pack.

So, we hope we have proved -
That when you visit the zoo -

"You see our animals out in the heat of the day -
We're constantly checking on them - we know they're okay."*

*Patty Young, animal keeper, Cleveland Metroparks Zoo
**Travis Vineyard, associate animal curator, Cleveland Metroparks Zoo