By Kate Liebers
There is a science behind embarking into the great
outdoors.
As humans, we check weather apps and listen to
meteorologists before braving the elements. We
make plans around the possibility of precipitation.
We consider the ratio of sunlight to cloud cover. We
evaluate wind speeds.
Our lives can revolve around so much
more than the mere temperature.
The same is true for the animals at
the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium.
Zookeepers must examine several
factors – from the temperature to the
animals’ dispositions – before letting the
zebras dart across the savanna or the
tortoises lumber onto the lawn.
Giraffes, for example, can comfortably
go outside at 50 degrees Fahrenheit, but
not if the ground is still wet from a recent
storm because they could slip and fall.
The okapi might be comfortable trotting
outside in December, but not if it is too
windy. The cheetahs can go outside at
40 degrees and might even play in the
snow, but are likely to be kept inside
if ice poses a danger to the animals’
footing.
At the Columbus Zoo, the keepers’
decisions about whether or not to
keep an animal inside is guided by a
detailed list of every species’
preferred conditions. This
spreadsheet addresses
factors other than the
temperature, including cloud
cover, rain, and wind. The
figures are based on animal
husbandry manuals endorsed
by the Association of Zoos
and Aquariums (AZA) and
reflect adjustments specific
to how the animals have
adapted to their central Ohio
environment.
“One of the biggest misconceptions is
that animals can’t acclimate,” said Adam
Felts, the assistant curator of Heart of
Africa, the Zoo’s newest and largest
attraction.
Every animal has an indoor facility in
which to take shelter during inclement
weather, but many have the option to be
outside throughout the winter.
Lions, despite their “King of the Jungle”
title, like to lounge in the snow. Guests
might see elephants playfully toss freshly
fallen snow onto their backs. Even
flamingoes are resilient to the fall and
warmer winter temperatures.
Body mass is a major factor in an
animal’s ability to adapt, Felts explained.
Hefty animals with more surface area
relative to their size – elephants, for
example – lose heat slowly and can
tolerate low temperatures.
The cold hits the slender mammals
harder. Of the Heart of Africa animals,
the spindly limbed giraffe and lean
vervet monkeys are some of the least
tolerant of Ohio winters. Consequently,
like the other residents of the Zoo, these
newer members have a state-of-the-art
facility to enjoy when the temperatures
drop.
Outside of the main viewing area,
the giraffe barn is designed to
accommodate not only its inhabitants’
size, but their social behaviors. Openaccess compartments allow the animals
to find some privacy without secluding
themselves from the herd. Large
groups can congregate in a community
area, where the giraffes can nibble on
branches or at the raised troughs. Even
when it’s too cold for these weathersensitive mammals, the giraffes can still
enjoy the sunlight pouring in through the
ceiling skylights, which are specifically
designed to allow in the UV rays that are
important for their health.
On warmer days during the fall and
winter seasons, giraffes can have access
to outdoor yards near the savanna. While
the Columbus Zoo’s guide suggests
Visitors might catch these large cats
pouncing on snowmen built by their
keepers or using their bellies as
bobsleds on the winter landscape. With
the exception of high winds or other
unfavorable conditions, the tigers at
the Columbus Zoo have access to their
outdoor habitats even during the winter
lows.
Unsurprisingly, the species at the Zoo
that can be found in the wild in North
America – wolverines, moose, otters,
arctic foxes, polar bears, brown bears,
cougars, bobcats, beavers, reindeer,
timberwolves and swans – will likely have
outdoor access throughout the winter.
The barnyard animals, elephants, lions,
leopards, rhinos, the African hoofstock
gazelles and antelope (including the
greater kudu, dama gazelles, slenderhorned gazelles and Thompson’s
gazelles), flamingoes and birds at the
North America aviary are the next
hardiest animals at the Zoo, but cannot
tolerate temperatures below 35
degrees.
On the other end of the
spectrum, the koalas, Komodo
dragons, cockatoos and
Aldabra tortoises are some
of the most sensitive to
Ohio weather. These species
typically move indoors when
temperatures drop below 60
degrees.
that these animals should not go out
below 50 degrees, this figure is subject
to change. Keepers must also consider
the animal’s current body temperature;
weather that might otherwise be
tolerable could, in other situations, come
as a shock.
The birds and African hoofstock animals
– such as the zebras, wildebeests and
ostrich – reside outside all winter in
neighboring off-exhibit yards, while
the other animals spend the winter in
a nearby barn, with similar off-season
access to the outdoors.
All the African animals have yards
separate from the savanna. In order
to rejuvenate the grassy savanna, this
region closes in early November to
animal residents and human visitors
alike.
The rest of the Zoo, however, is open to
guests year-round.
Of the animals not native to America,
the tigers at the Columbus Zoo are some
of the most tolerant of this continent’s
weather. Found in the wild in the Russian
Far East and northern China, the Amur
tiger can thrive in snow.
Generally, the kangaroos,
gibbons, lorikeets, smallclawed otters, langurs, giraffes
and vervets cannot be outside in
temperatures below 50 degrees. The
next to move indoors are the gorillas,
colobus monkeys and mandrills (their
temperature range includes a low of 45
degrees); followed by the okapis and
sun bears (low of 40 degrees); and the
leopards, rhinos, flamingoes and the
birds at the North American aviary (low
of 35 degrees). The elephants and the
African hoofstock animals generally have
to move indoors when temperatures
drop below 32 degrees.
Even if they are not outside, many
of these animals are still on view
throughout the winter season. With the
exception of the Mainland Asia Aviary
(which has a heated winter shelter for the
animals), most animals’ habitats include
an indoor component visible to guests.
Because a species’ outdoor schedule
is as unpredictable as Ohio weather,
guests are encouraged to call ahead to
make sure their favorite animals are on
view that day.
Assuming that, after the daily weather
app analysis, they are ready to venture
into the outdoors themselves.