This is the adorable moment monkeys at London Zoo lick icy treats to keep themselves cool amid soaring temperatures.
Footage posted by Zoological Society of London (ZSL) London Zoo on social media shows squirrel monkeys jumping between different frozen blocks of tea and sometimes squabbling with each other to get the best bits to eat as temperatures in the capital reached highs of 36 degrees Celsius on 7th August.
Daniel Simmonds, Head of Primates at ZSL London Zoo. “During the hot weather keepers at ZSL London Zoo give cooling treats to our animals – for the primates it’s frozen fruit tea filled with nuts and seeds. It’s great enrichment for the animals, as while it cools them down it gets them practising their senses and skills, such as foraging and sniffing out food.”
Squirrel monkeys are omnivores, eating primarily fruits and insects. Occasionally, they also eat seeds, leaves, flowers, buds, nuts, and eggs. They can survive 15 years in the wild and 20 years in captivity.
Reacting to the footage, Facebook user ‘Ogerta Fe’ described the monkeys as “cuties”. Another named ‘Rachael Kent’ commented: “Naughty squirrel monkeys!”
Simmonds added: “Keepers think up ingenious enrichment activities every day for the animals they care for.”
The Ananova page is created by and dedicated to professional, independent freelance journalists. It is a place for us to showcase our work. When our news is sold to our media partners, we will include the link here.
