Prague Zoo uses tons of ice to cool polar bears amid heatwave

As a heatwave pushes temperatures in the Czech Republic to as high as 41 °C, keepers at Prague Zoo placed roughly three tonnes of ice in the outdoor enclosure of the twin polar bears Aleut and Gregor. The ice cubes serve both to lower the bears’ body temperature and as enrichment; frozen squid pieces are hidden inside for the animals to hunt. Zoo spokesperson Filip Mašek said the bears, born in Nuremberg in 2010, enjoy the icy “playground” and that the zoo will repeat the practice whenever forecasted temperatures remain extreme.

The ice‑cooling program began in 2024 after earlier trials with other species such as otters, elephants and parrots. In addition to the ice, the zoo has installed 28 misting devices across the park to improve micro‑climate. A new, modern polar‑bear enclosure costing about €30 million is under construction and is expected to be completed by 2029.