Seems the giraffes have the same problem. Not because of their weight but because their long skinny legs are about as stable as stilts on snow. For anyone wanting a different view of the zoo, winter is the time to go. The zoo is open every day except Christmas and New Year's Day and almost all of the animals can be seen, even if they're not in their usual surroundings. And his mother Binbutuu will sometimes stretch her neck out close enough to touch.
Visitors can also experience, ugh, what an elephant's bedroom smells like.
Some of the animals, like the big cats, that just lay there panting in the heat of summer, are active all winter. In fact, no crowds at all. An average summer day brings 8,000 to 10,000 visitors to the zoo. An average winter weekend brings just 200. It's not crowded, you can get closer to the exhibits.