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Extreme Heat Threatens Rescued Wild Animals

The recent extreme heat, including high temperatures over 110 degrees and the area inundated with excessive heat warnings, has been rough on everyone.

This includes the animals at wildlife refuges and the local zoo.

Linda Searles, executive director of the Southwest Wildlife Conservation Center in Scottsdale states, “It’s awful.”


The wildlife center specializes in rescuing and helping rehabilitate, in addition to taking care of, animals that have been injured and orphaned.

Currently there are about 300 animals at the wildlife center, Searles says.

Animals at the center include black bears, coyotes, a jaguar, javelinas, Mexican gray wolves, mountain lions, and porcupines.

At the center, they are working diligently to protect the animals from the blistering heat.

Like the volunteers and staff at the Phoenix Zoo and the World Wildlife Zoo in Litchfield Park, Southwest Wildlife Conservation Center staff and volunteers are taking necessary steps in helping keep the animals cool.

Searles states that the 17-year-old jaguar has been moved indoors as well as the older bobcats and coyotes and the porcupines.

While other animals are receiving ice in their water troughs, have evaporated coolers in their enclosures and being hosed down.

Other areas have their air conditioning units running constantly.

The problem with the coolers however is they tend to break down since the center uses well water, according to Searles.

The Phoenix Zoo is currently running on their summer hours (7 a.m. to 2 p.m.). Some of the animals at the zoo are used to hot climates while other exhibits have cold water piping systems, misters and cooling rocks to help animals deal at this time with the excessive heat advisory.