- Title: BULGARIA: Unseasonably warm weather confuses animals at Varna zoo
- Date: 10th January 2007
- Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (Bulgarian) DIRECTOR OF VARNA ZOO, TODOR HRISTOV, SAYING: "The animals are confused, just like us. Because of the unusually warm weather. And this year, not like any other hot year, the peacocks surprised us by starting to lay eggs. Probably they thought the spring had come. So we have eight eggs until now and they continue to lay eggs on a regular basis. We suppose they will continue to do this if the weather is warm. Nobody knows whether the winter eggs are fertilised or not because this is highly unusual."
- Embargoed: 25th January 2007 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Bulgaria
- Country: Bulgaria
- Topics: Weather
- Reuters ID: LVA1FX8TW95YY5HVM1YBL3P55XYF
- Story Text: An unusually warm winter has sown confusion among animals at Varna zoo on Bulgaria's Black Sea coast.
Dazed bears who usually hibernate at this time of year, can still be seen roaming around their enclosure unable to sleep.
Todor Hristov, the zoo Director, is certain the unseasonable weather is affecting the animals, particularly the bears who usually sleep from November until the Spring.
"The bears, they couldn't lay down to sleep due to the warm weather. This does not affect them very much, because here, in zoo, they receive food regularly, not like outside. And if the temperature goes down, their metabolism will slow down and they will lay down asleep," said Hristov.
But bears are not the only ones affected. Peacocks fooled by rise in temperatures have begun to lay their eggs several months too soon.
"The animals are confused, just like us. Because of the unusually warm weather. And this year, not like any other hot year, the peacocks surprised us by starting to lay eggs. Probably they thought the spring had come. So we have eight eggs until now and they continue to lay eggs on a regular basis. We suppose they will continue to do this if the weather is warm. Nobody knows whether the winter eggs are fertilised or not because this is highly unusual."
Over the past few days, temperatures in Varna have risen to as high of 13 degrees - 11 degrees higher than the average temperature for January.
Many believe the unusually warm weather around Europe is yet another sign of global warming which scientists say is disrupting weather patterns, melting glaciers and causing other environmental anomalies around the world. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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