Are you beating the summertime heat by taking a dip in a pool? White tailed deer need to cool off, too, and did you know that they will swim to escape biting insects? Deer can cool down in a few ways. They pant like dogs, which allows heat to escape
Deer can cool down in a few ways. They pant like dogs, which allows heat to escape through the mouth. They also regulate their temperature through their ears which remain hairless during the summer to allow heat to easily escape and speed up the cooling process.
Intense heat and humidity can push deer to seek refuge near water where temperatures are a bit lower. This photo was taken on the Wildlife Drive entrance at Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge by Friends volunteer Lori Monska.
ONWR trails are open daily from sunrise to sunset. The Visitor Center and Rookery Nature Store are open Wednesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The seven-mile, self-guided Wildlife Drive is open Saturdays and Sundays throughout the summer. The refuge also offers open air tram tours on select days in the summer. To learn more, visit friendsofottawanwr.org/events.html.
