Russia - Animals in the Nizhny Novgorod zoo in Russia's Volga area are losing their appetites as temperatures hit record highs, the zoo's deputy director said Thursday.

Alexander Davydov said staff have switched to a different feeding schedule to get the animals to eat. They now receive a more vegetable-oriented diet, and evening feeding is delayed until the temperature drops.

Areas all over European Russia have seen scorching weather conditions throughout this week. Daytime temperatures in Nizhny Novgorod have hit 32 degrees C (89.6 degrees F), dropping to 25 degrees C (77 degrees F) at night.

On Wednesday Moscow saw its heat record for August 15 broken, with the mercury rising to 30.5 degrees C (86.9 degrees F).

But Russia isn't the only city where animals are suffering due to the blistering heat, in Spain elephants, rhinoceros and other non-human animals have been given in the last few weeks fruit frosts and showers in order to keep them cool.

The problem is that it is impossible for non-human animals in zoos to live according to their natural instincts or for zoos to provide those conditions animals would find in their natural homes. Captivity is captivity and in zoos non-human animals are some way or another prevented from doing those things that make them who they are, be it running, flying, climbing, choosing a partner, and being with others of their own kind. Elephants, tigers or leopards that in nature would travel dozens of kilometers every day are kept in cages or spaces where they can hardly move a few meters. These unnatural conditions cause a great deal of suffering to non-human animals enslaved in zoos. Stress, stereotyped behavior, distress are some of the consequences of confinement.
Animal Equality / Igualdad Animal is opposed to all zoos, no matter the conditions. Non-human animals should be free and have the right to live according to their necessities and needs, just like us. Non-human animals aren't tools who exist to offer us entertainment, or interesting “specimens”. Every non-human animal is a unique person and as persons we must start treating them.