Recent data shows that this summer has been extremely warm, even if we're not getting too much sunshine here in Ireland. 

In particular, July was the hottest month ever recorded, and in parts of the United States and Canada, there were a number of people finding that their pools, ponds and water features were a handy place for the overheating animals to get a break from the warm weather.

In Rockaway, New Jersey, a family of bears took to a pool to take a dip and cool off as temperatures soared. 

Meanwhile a man in Florida got up close and personal with a bear and a cub as they jumped in and out of his above ground pool earlier this summer.

In Canada, a family found that their fence had been smashed in as a black bear, who had already been tagged by wildlife authorities, decided to use their pool and the adjoining hot tub to cool down a little bit.

There is, of course, a safety concern to all this splashing about, given that bears are wild animals, but they weren't the only ones staying cool in interesting ways. 

Animals at the Blair Drummond Safari park in Scotland were given treats and access to body of water to help them cool off too, as temperatures started to soar above 25°C earlier this summer.

Andrew Milligan / PA Wire/Press Association Images