| [00:06.60] |
Code red heat warnings have been issued by Italy's health ministry, as a heatwave nicknamed 'Lucifer' scorches the Mediterranean region. |
| [00:08.22] |
But at the zoo in Rome, keepers are ensuring the lions and tigers stay cool by freezing their food in large blocks of ice. |
| [00:15.04] |
The animals have to lick through icy layers before getting to the joints of meat contained inside, like a giant lollipop. |
| [00:22.23] |
Klaus Friedrich, the zoo's veterinarian, says making these meat-flavoured treats is part of their strategy to cool the animals down |
| [00:29.86] |
"The animals get bored, like children, so they find new ways ： how to prepare the ice. |
| [00:35.05] |
So sometimes you put the ice in a bucket of water, and you put a string inside, and you hang this on a tree or you hide it somewhere. |
| [00:46.81] |
There are different ways to give this food and these ice creams… So they like it a lot." |
| [00:53.68] |
The smaller animals, like lemurs, are fed pieces of watermelon and special ice cream, while the monkeys are given bamboo canes filled with yoghurt and frozen fruit. |
| [01:02.19] |
Italy is suffering from its worst drought in ten years, caused by a high-pressure system that's bringing hot air from Africa to Europe. |
| [01:09.64] |
Spain is also sweltering, while the heatwave has fuelled forest fires in the Greek island of Chios and the north-east of Bosnia. |
