Monkeys at Drusillas Zoo Park in Sussex stay cool with icy treats in the hot weather

• WATCH: Zoo keepers at Drusillas Park keeping their animals cool in the heat

Zoo keepers at Drusillas Park in East Sussex have been finding creative ways to keep their animals cool in the hot weather.

Nuts, seeds, veg, herbs, and tea are being frozen into icy treats this week for the monkeys and lemurs.

Some of the keepers have been creating food-layered ice lollies stacked with ingredients including peanuts, seeds, fresh herbs, and soothing herbal teas.

Zoo Section Leader, Jacinta Dawe, said: "We use these ice lollies to keep the animals cool in the heat because animals do not sweat in the same way humans do.

"The animals just want to get their paws on the rewards hidden in the lollies, but as they grab, lick, nibble and break them down, their mouths and paws are cooled.

"The food inside is carefully measured and taken from their normal daily food allowance so although it’s lots of fun to see them with ice lollies, they still sit within their monitored diets.

"Ice lollies are a great way to keep the animals cool, but they also serve an enrichment purpose as well.

"Making the animals work for their food in creative ways, helps to stimulate them mentally and physically and forces them to use their instincts to look for food as they would in the wild."

Elsewhere in the zoo, animals such as the flamingos have been combating the heat by walking around their waterfall.

While, the red pandas have been napping in the shade of their trees.

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