Extreme Heat in Minnesota? Is that even possible?

YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Monday through wednesday of this week were....lets just say really close to temps at home.  Monday was 100 degrees here with a heat index of 110 and we had to take special care to check on the cats several times that day.  We had 1 cougar overheat and had to crate him and rush him into the hospital to be given fluids and mist him down and cool him off with a fan.  We had to work a long day to wait to feed until it got cooler outside, which was around 8pm.  Then when letting the servals out of their lockouts after feeding one of the enclosures has 4 servals and 1 bobcat...the bobcat is more food aggressive and attacked one of the smaller servals who had found food left on the ground.  The head keeper had to rush in and get her crated to take into the hospital because she overheated from the tussle and was taken to the vet the next day to check if damage was done.  The bite wounds were superficial on the neck, but better to be safe and get them checked.


Tuesday had some relief from the heat in the morning with rain, but by the afternoon the heat had resumed and we continued checking cats and misting them down.  We also made lots of popsicles for the cats including tuna, blood, turkey hearts, and different spices.  Then another intern and I went to Duluth to get industrial sized fans to put in the cat buildings for circulating air.  We also picked up more hose misters and hose splitters to maximize the area we can run hoses to.


Wednesday was hot, but breezy and we began the preparations for the heat to come later in the day.  We connected hoses and misters....ran hoses around to all areas and put the fans into the serval, big cat, and cougar buildings.  We then made more popsicles for the cats and I bought more popsicles for us.  We took frequent inside breaks as to not overheat and drank a lot of water.


Thankfully the heat wave has broken and were back into the 80s today.  This weekend is supposed to be in the 70s and that will make life so much nicer.


Meanwhile I have 5 weeks left of my internship! goes by fast