Giraffes at a zoo in Skopje, North Macedonia, were treated to refreshing ice blocks from their keepers in the high summer temperatures.

Casper and Floppy, who arrived in Skopje three years ago, were licking frozen ice blocks filled with onions, leeks, apples, carrots, and zucchini, all freshly prepared in the zoo kitchen.

A heat wave swept across North Macedonia with temperature reaching up to 40 degrees Celsius. Last week, the temperature dropped to 31 degrees Celsius; however, it¢¥s forecasted to rise up again. Zookeeper Aleksandra Spasovska said that although the giraffes came from Africa and they could endure a lot of heat, caretakers were looking for a way to cool them down.

Difficult words: zucchini (a long thin vegetable with a dark green skin), sweep (to move quickly and powerfully), endure (to experience something unpleasant for a long time).