- Title: SERBIA: Belgrade Zoo takes steps to keep animals warm in cold spell
- Date: 6th February 2012
- Summary: BELGRADE, SERBIA (FEBRUARY 05, 2012) (REUTERS) ZOO WORKER BREAKING ICE ON POND TWO SWANS ON ICE ZOO WORKER ON BOAT BREAKING ICE SWAN GETTING INTO WATER ZOO WORKER BREAKING ICE WITH METAL BAR SEALS IN WATER SEALS JUMPING OUT OF WATER THREE SEALS IN WATER ZOO WORKERS CLEARING SNOW WORKER SHOVELLING SNOW LION CUB, IVANA, PLAYING WITH SNOWBALL LIONESS MASA AND LION CUB PLAYING THREE OWLS ON TREE VARIOUS OF LIONESS SUMBA WITH FOUR WHITE CUBS HEATED CAGES WITH SNAKES HEATING LAMP PYTHON LYING ON FLOOR IN CAGE MONKEYS IN CAGE ELECTRIC HEATER ON WALL MONKEY IN CAGE WORKER TAKING FOOD CONTAINER FROM MONKEY CAGE MONUMENT DEDICATED TO MONKEY SAMI (SOUNDBITE) (Serbian) BELGRADE ZOO ASSISTANT, NADJA RADOVIC, SAYING: "In Belgrade zoo, animals feel like us, so they are cold, so if animals need to be warm, we secure that." RADOVIC (LEFT) TALKING TO REPORTER (SOUNDBITE) (Serbian) BELGRADE ZOO ASSISTANT, NADJA RADOVIC, SAYING: "But now, polar bears and seals have a good time, during the summer we have to cool them, but in winter, they enjoy themselves." ZOO UNDER SNOW WORKER UNLOADING SNOW FROM TROLLEY DOWNHILL UNDER SNOW GIRL ON SKI LIFT MAN SKIING WITH CHILD ON SHOULDERS MAN SITTING ON GROUND WITH SNOWBOARD VARIOUS OF CHILDREN SLEIGHING DOWN HILL
- Embargoed: 21st February 2012 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Serbia, Serbia
- Country: Serbia
- Topics: Environment,Quirky
- Reuters ID: LVAAXOFFGJSOTLASUCYLN3I8ZO7B
- Story Text: Belgrade city Zoo took more steps on Sunday (February 5) to keep animals warm in a cold spell sweeping Europe.
As temperatures hovered around minus 10 Celsius (14 Fahrenheit), meteorologists predicted next week the mercury would dip further -- between minus 20 and minus 25 Celsius (minus 4 and minus 13 Fahrenheit).
Extra heating was secured for reptiles, monkeys and all other animals who needed to be warm.
"In Belgrade Zoo, animals feel like us, so they are cold, so if animals need to be warm, we secure that," Zoo assistant Nadja Radovic told Reuters.
But the cold weather is good for polar bears and seals who enjoyed swimming in the pool and jumping out of water.
"But now, polar bears and seals have a good time, during the summer we have to cool them, but in winter, they enjoy themselves," Radovic said.
Lions at the Zoo, too, could not resist the snow -- lioness Masa and cub Ivana played for a while with snowball that the workers had made. But it was too cold for lioness Sumba and her four white cubs.
The Belgrade Zoo has become a breeding centre for white lions.
Workers had to break ice on the local pond for swans at the Zoo and other birds come looking for food.
Some residents made the most of the weather, with many taking to the nearby slopes for skiing.
Schools will be closed on Monday, as snow has continued for nearly four days. A state of emergency has been declared in 32 municipalities in the country as nine people died because of cold.
City authorities have been advised to reduce the use of electricity for street lighting, billboards and neon signs. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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