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For
Gota-kun, the polar bear, life took a turn to the bearable
when Toyo Engineering
Works installed a specially
adapted snow gun in the polar bear enclosure at the Oga Aquarium
in Oga City, Akita Prefecture.
The aim of this project—the first attempt to install
such a machine in a polar bear enclosure anywhere in the world—is
to relieve the stress and lethargy the bears endure during
the summer by bringing conditions in the enclosure closer
to the animals' natural habitat, and thereby enable visitors
to see Gota-kun, the most popular bear, moving around vigorously.
Local media and newspapers were present to record the tangible
excitement Gota-kun showed when snow began to flow out of
the machine.
The success of this undertaking was reported at the Second
International Congress of Zoo Keepers held in Australia in
May 2006, and there has been a fantastic response from around
the world.
The snow gun was developed from the type used in ski resorts,
for which Toyo Engineering holds numerous patents regarding
snow dispersion. It is an advanced device, which produces
high-quality snow and is easy to operate and maintain. The
user can also save energy, and thereby reduce the running
cost, by adjusting the quality of the snow to suit the purpose.
The installation at the aquarium shows that this is a very
versatile machine with a wide range of applications not limited
to ski resorts. |
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| Almost like
home; Gota-kun, the mighty polar bear of Oga Aquarium,
regains his vigor as the snow mounts |
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