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Bears sip cola to stay cool
(eastday.com)
Updated: 2004-07-15 08:40

It isn't just Shanghai's human residents who are staying close to the air conditioner, going for a swim or enjoying a cold bottle of cola to beat the heat this summer.

The four-legged residents of the Shanghai Wild Animal Park are using the same tricks to stay cool.

Black and brown bears, who are both good swimmers, choose to stay in water, while lions and tigers lie under trees to escape the scorching sun.

For the Helarctos Malayanus, a type of small bear from Malaysia, the best way to cool down is with a cold bottle of Coke.

"Of all the bears, they are the cleverest," said Su Feilong, a spokesman for the wild animal park. "They are good at opening bottles and drinking the liquids in one gulp."

Giant pandas have taken to sleeping all day and night in air-conditioned rooms.

Ice has become the most popular treat for the park's residents of late.

Their daily ice consumption has reached five tons, said a feeder surnamed Kang.

"Though our own ice making workshop is running at full capacity, we have to buy more to meet their demands," he added.

Kang said most of the ice is put in the animals' homes to lower the temperature, and sometimes they wrap their arms around the ice blocks while sleeping.

Fruit is also proving a popular treat.

The park's animals consume 100 kilograms of apples and watermelons, 40 kilograms of bananas and 15 kilograms of peaches every day, Kang said.

The animals also eat lots of vegetables, such as tomatoes and cucumbers.

As for the four giant pandas in the park, they've lost most of their appetite since July, eating only several kilograms of bamboo a day.



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