No deep freeze: Brazil swelters in heat wave, zoo animals munching icy treats

RIO DE JANEIRO – Sure, it's mind-bogglingly cold in the Northern Hemisphere.

But sweltering temperatures on the Earth's opposite end have man and beast alike dreaming of ice.

Brazil is wilting with temperatures spiking above 120 F at times in the past week.

It's so hot that animals at the Rio de Janeiro zoo won temporary relief Wednesday with ice pops made from tropical fruits, chunks of meat and frozen yogurt.

Big apes reached their long, leathery fingers through bars to snatch cold strawberry yogurt pops, while the tigers and lions waded into pools after the bloody 66-pound (30-kilo) blocks of ice and meat.

"It's their favorite part of the day," said zookeeper Karla Cunha, as a gorilla named Paulinho passed her an ice pop back through the bars.