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TRIMMING BUSHES OFF THE GROUND WHEN TEMPERATURES SOARING, EVEN ANIMALS AT THE ZOO NEEDED A LITTLE RELIEF. METEOROLOGIST JORDAN WEST TAKES A LOOK AT HOW ELEPHANTS STAY COOL DURING HOT WEATHER. YEAH, IT’S PRETTY HOT. WE’VE STOPPED AND GOT SOME WATER AND SOME DIPPIN DOTS, BUT I KNOW THAT THEY CAN’T DO THAT. DANIEL KNIGHT AND HIS FAMILY FOUND A WAY TO STAY COOL AT THE BIRMINGHAM ZOO, BUT THE ANIMALS GET HOT TOO. THEY WERE JUST PLAYING IN THE WATER SO IT SEEMS LIKE THEY’RE HAVING FUN AND THEY HAVE WAYS TO DEAL WITH THE HEAT, JUST LIKE WE DO. STEPHANIE ARAB, AN ANIMAL CARE PROFESSIONAL, LOVES TAKING CARE OF THE TUSKERS. I’VE BEEN WORKING WITH ELEPHANTS FOR ALMOST FOUR YEARS NOW, AND THEY’RE JUST SO INTELLIGENT. TRAINING WITH THEM IS SUPER FUN. GETTING THEM UP, GETTING THEM GOING AND INTERACTING WITH THEM. THEY REALLY LOVE TO LIKE FOCUS AND OVERHEATING ISN’T AN OPTION. WE TRY TO HELP THE ELEPHANTS BEAT THE HEAT IN MANY DIFFERENT WAYS. SO WE HAVE POOLS OUT ON OUR HABITAT. TWO OF THEM, AND WE ENCOURAGE THEM TO GO INTO THE POOLS BY THROWING SCATTERS OR CALLING THEM INTO THE POOLS. AND IF THAT’S NOT ENOUGH, WE ALSO HAVE SPRINKLERS THAT WE CAN SET UP IN OUR PLANTER AREA THAT CAN TURN ON AT DIFFERENT TIMES DURING THE DAY TO HELP THEM BEAT THE HEAT THAT WAY. AND THEN WHEN WE BRING THEM DOWN TO THE BARN OR EVEN OUT HERE, WE CAN TAKE A HOSE AND HOSE THEM DOWN AND OFFER THEM LOTS AND LOTS OF WATER. THERE ARE ALSO SHADE STRUCTURES BUILT ACROSS THE HABITAT TO GET OUT OF THE SUN, BUT THIS PARTICULAR ANIMAL KNOWS HOW TO KEEP ITSELF COOL. ELEPHANTS WILL NATURALLY WALLOW, WHICH MEANS THEY’LL GET DOWN INTO MUD OR JUST WATER SOURCES AND THROW THAT ALL OVER THEIR BODIES, AND THEY WILL ALSO DO A BEHAVIOR CALLED DUSTING. AND SO THAT’S WHEN THEY TAKE SOMETHING DRY AND THEY THROW THAT ON THEMSELVES, NOT ONLY DOES IT COOL THEM DOWN, BUT IT’S ALSO THE ELEPHANT SKIN CARE ROUTINE. IT’S IMPORTANT TO KEEP ANIMALS SAFE. US SAFE DURING THE HEAT. THEY CAN GET OVERHEATED JUST AS EASILY AS WE CAN. SO IT’S VERY IMPORTANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY STAY COOL. AND STEPHANIE ISN’T THE ONLY ANIMAL LOVER AT THE ZOO. WE LOVE ANIMALS. THIS ONE, ESPECIALLY. AND WHATEVER IS BEST FOR THEM WORKS FOR US. I LOVE GIRAFFE AND THE GIRAFFE AND THE ELEPHANTS. YEAH. I LIKE THE GIRAFFES TOO. YOU DO? WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE? BETTER THAN THE ELEPHANTS. OH, MAN, YOU LIKE THE ZOO, JASON? ZOO IS GREAT. IT’S REALLY COOL WHEN YOU YOU YOU STAND THERE IN THE GIRAFFES. COME CLOSE, THOUGH. IF YOU’VE NEVER STOOD IN THAT, THERE’S ONE SPOT RIGHT THERE IN THE SHADE WHERE THEY’LL JUST COME OVER AND MESS WITH YOU A LITTLE BIT. YEAH, THAT. THAT’S WHAT THEY DO. TH