Dozing off

In the UAE, inclement weather is associated with non-seasonal rain, excessive dew, fog, sandstorms or extreme cold or heat.

Animals living either in the desert or mountain areas or near human habitats are familiar with such conditions.
They all have their own contingency plans to tackle such weather.

Animals kept in zoos have an advantage over their counterparts in the wild as owners usually take care of emergency environmental situations.

Some time back when the city was experiencing a spell of rain and storms, I came across some African spurred tortoises in a cage inside the Dubai Zoo.

Most animals sheltered outside were busy shedding rainwater from their fur or scales, but a few red-eared terrapins – a freshwater turtle from the Americas kept as pets the world over – were busy drying their wet carapace under the emergent rays of the sun.

In one place I saw a terrapin lodged on top of another almost asleep. The one under it was unaware as it was also fast asleep under the warm sunlight!