Garden and Green

London Calling - Do I Look Hot in This?

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Hot-headed penguins and cold-hearted flamingos are revealed in a selection of thermal images giving keepers at ZSL London Zoo a unique view of their animals.

Pictures taken using a thermal imaging camera reveal some interesting and unexpected quirks in the animal kingdom – from the cold nose of a sloth to the hot feet of a pelican!

The images show just how well feathers and fur insulate animals, and reveal some more unusual tactics to keep warm including some birds cutting off the blood to one leg to conserve energy. One picture clearly reveals how snug a lion’s mane keeps him while another demonstrates surprising veins of warmth running through a butterfly’s delicate wings.

The photographs were taken using a FLIR civilian thermal imaging camera by a Zoo visitor, amateur photographer Steve Lowe, who kindly donated the photos to the Zoo for use as part of their education work.

Zoological Director David Field said: “While these amazing pictures may be more reminiscent of something from the Tate Modern, they give us a unique perspective on how animals regulate their body temperatures.

“Thermal imaging technology can also be used in veterinary diagnostics such that infected areas will sometimes appear very hot.”

Site - London Zoo

IMAGE INFO

Top Left - Pelicans bodies are well insulated by their feathers, but note the leg losing heat. Anyone got a pair of wooly stockings?

Top Right - Lucifer the London Lion's mane is keeping the heat in better than the rest of his coat, see how it is blue whereas the rest of his body is red as the camera picks up heat? A bit of a hothead that one!

Bottom Left - The Zebras are emitting more heat from the white stripes than the black. So if your in the desert don't wear a black t-shirt, it'll absorb the heat not reflect it.

Bottom Right - The Mexican red-kneed bird eating spider has most insulation arounds its feet, the rest of his body is emitting heat like water through a sieve, perhaps they could put him in a 10 fingered glove?

STOP PRESS - News reaches us that Yara and Thiago, two very much in love monogamous Red Titi Monkeys that live in the Zoos new rainforest enclosure have recently had a baby. The Zoo staff have called the new addition Vale, in honour of St Valentines Day. They aren't sure yet whether baby Vale is a boy or a girl, but Vale is a shortened version of the popular male name in Brazil, Valentin and the female version Valentina.

Credit - Steve Lowe

Credit - Steve Lowe