Crowds started lining up at the Dallas Zoo about an hour early Thursday morning for the zoo's Dollar Day. Admission was $1, and the zoo offered discounts on food.
"It's a good experience for the kids," one man said. "They're not around these types of animals, they're not domesticated animals. To come to a place like this, it's a great family experience."
Others said they came early to avoid the hottest part of the day.
"In the morning, it's cooler than in the afternoon," a woman who had brought her kids said.
Another family had planned ahead for the heat.
"The first part of the strategy is to make sure we keep hydrated," another dad said. "We've got some drinks here, and we've already drunk a bottle of water before we came out here."
The Dallas Zoo has 42 misters spread across the facility. The zoo's Kari Streiber says extra staff are working and can show people where to find air conditioning.
"If somebody is walking around and starts to feel faint or feels like they need some help, look for a staff member. We'll get you either medical support or get you indoors for some air conditioning," she says.
The Dallas Zoo says Dollar Days aim to ensure the facility is accessible to anyone and can help kids continue their education even during summer break. Streiber says the zoo has worked to recreate each animal's habitat so people can learn how they live and interact with each other in the wild.
"That's why we're here is to help educate people," she says. "A part of what we do is try to help people understand the connection between the animals they're seeing here and their counterparts in the wild."
To help the animals deal with the heat, their habitats include trees and ponds. Streiber says the zoo also froze animals' treats and used water cannons to cool off elephants.
"While we're sweating, they're sitting under a tree, pretty cool, laid back, like, 'look at these people,'" one man said of the animals while he was visiting Thursday.
The Dallas Zoo sold out Thursday. The zoo plans another Dollar Day August 8. Tickets must be bought ahead of time. More information is available here.
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