Animals at the Attica Zoological Park outside of the Greek capital were being fed frozen meals as temperatures around the country reached 40 C (107.5 F) and were said to rise further, in the fourth heat wave in less than a month.
Zoo curator Antonis Balas urged pet owners to be more mindful of their animals at times of extreme heat, noting that many of the popular breeds of pets are from native cooler temperatures in Northern and Central Europe.
“In general, heat affects animals in the same way that it affects humans,” said Balas after feeding frozen fruit popsicles to ring-tailed lemurs, some clambering onto his shoulders to get served first.
“The iced treats are a supplement to their meals, they lick the ice and breathe in the cool air. That’s in contrast to people who sweat as a way of controlling their body temperature.”
