Cool for kats (From The Oxford Times)

Cool for kats

7:02pm Thursday 2nd July 2009 in

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AS temperatures across Oxfordshire rocketed, Meerkats at the Cotswold Wildlife Park got some ice-cold treats today courtesy of their keepers.

Staff at the attraction near Burford have been feeding the Meerkats and Squirrel Monkeys ice cold fruit blocks.

And, needless to say, they don’t last very long — not because of the heat, but because they are such a hit with the animals.

Curator Jamie Craig said: “We give them ice pops, which are basically chunks of fruit in ice.

“The penguins are hosed down frequently during the hot weather and we keep their water temperature cool.”

The heatwave of recent days, which has seen the mercury soar to 32C, was expected to be at end today after light showers in the early hours of this morning.

Temperatures over the coming days are expected to be back to the seasonal average. Meanwhile the Local Government Association, which represents more than 350 councils in England, warned that fields and grassy areas, such as road verges, could still poses a serious fire risk.