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WEATHER

Zoo animals scoop icy treats in heat

While the heat rages on across Germany, many will be kicking back with a cooling ice cream – but what about the zoo animals? Don't worry, they get one too – albeit of a very different flavour.

Published: 26 July 2013 17:23 CEST
Zoo animals scoop icy treats in heat
A tiger cools down on icy chicken in Leipzig zoo. Photo: DPA

Not a hint of boring old chocolate, strawberry or plain vanilla for the inhabitants of Germany’s zoos this summer, wrote Der Spiegel magazine on Friday.

After all, with temperatures set to push 40C over the weekend, animals need to keep cool too. By freezing tempting treats in water, zookeepers can make sure their charges are kept in comfort, even when the mercury goes through the roof.

That’s why Mascha, a Kamchatka bear in residence at Hamburg’s Tierpark Hagenbeck zoo will be chowing down this weekend on a block of ice containing frozen fish, fruit and bread.

Meanwhile, the ape colony at Leipzig Zoological Garden will be being treated to an icy fruit salad, wrote the magazine.

And for the carnivores, something different. Tigers in Leipzig have been munching on blocks of ice with chicken meat inside.

The Local/jlb

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WEATHER

Severe weather warnings issued as Germany braces for more storms

Extreme weather warnings for heavy rainfall remain in place in parts of Germany on Friday following flooding in the south. There is also a chance of thunderstorms at the weekend.

Published: 17 May 2024 10:37 CEST
Severe weather warnings issued as Germany braces for more storms

Severe weather is expected in the southwest of the country on Friday, with the heaviest rain expected in Saarbrücken, as well as the surrounding areas of Saarland and southern Rhineland-Palatinate.

In these areas Germany’s weather service (DWD) has level 4 warnings in place – meaning that the rain is expected to be extremely heavy (more than 40 litres per square metre in an hour, or 60 litres per square metre in 6 hours).

Slightly less severe, but still heavy continuous rain can also be expected in the surrounding regions, extending as far as Stuttgart and Mainz.

Speaking to Bild newspaper, Climatologist Dr. Karsten Brandt suggested that the heavy precipitation and thunderstorms will continue to move northwest, even into southern North-Rhine Westphalia (Aachen).

There are also wind warnings in parts of the country, with squalls expected on the Brocken and the Fichtelberg mountains, as well as in the Black Forest and in the Alps.

Currently, the highest wind warnings are in Dresden and southern Bavaria near the Alps.

Friday’s weather warnings come in the wake of chaotic weather that flooded Nuremberg and parts of Bavaria Thursday night, where many roads flooded. Cars were submerged in water and bus routes were cancelled.

A number of household cellars also flooded as well as a large underground car park at the Technical University.

READ ALSO: Record heat deaths and floods – How Germany is being hit by climate change

What will the weekend bring?

Beyond the area of severe weather warnings but not beyond the reach of the storm, Cologne will have some rain on Friday which may continue on through the weekend.

Germany’s northern and eastern regions have dodged the recent bout of storms so far, but in Berlin scattered thunderstorms can be expected to move in by Sunday afternoon. This may put a dampener on the Karneval der Kulturen parade. 

In Bremen and Hamburg, residents can expect some rain showers on Sunday and Monday, with a chance of thunderstorms as well.

In Munich and Nuremberg, it looks as if the worst is over. Some small showers may continue into Saturday, but Bavarian residents can look forward to a sunny Sunday ahead of the public holiday on Monday for Pentecost. 

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