Colorado Heatwave Has Animals Cooling Off in a Funny Way

Colorado has been experiencing a major heatwave lately, prompting both people and animals to find ways to beat the extreme heat. While humans can cool down by sweating and jumping into water, most animals don’t sweat as efficiently—so they have to rely on other methods to stay cool.

One of the ways that many of Colorado's four-legged mammals do to stay cool is a funny-looking action called splooting. This action, which is also sometimes referred to as pancaking, is when an animal lays flat their stomach with their back legs stretched out behind them. To help lower their body temperature, splooting is usually done on a cool surface, like concrete, grass, rocks or branches.

Splooting allows animals to maximize the contact between their belly and a cool surface, which helps them regulate their body temperature. Finding a spot in a shady area is also key to chilling out.

Some animals simply find this extended position to be comfortable and relaxing.

Other wildlife in Colorado, including bears, marmots, and rabbits are also frequently seen splooting in order to thermoregulate when the temperature gets hot.

Even dogs and cats use the pancaking technique to cool down their bodies and rest when they become overheated, especially after physical activity. Corgis, in particular, are exceptionally prone to this action.