Summertime and the living ain't easy
Yes, Germany gets warm summers, too. Incredibly hot even. Learn more about how Germans - people and animals - cope with the heat! Spoiler alert: there's no air conditioning.
Go swim
31 degrees Celsius (88 F) in Berlin and 37 degrees Celsius (99 F) in the western city of Saarbrücken - summer has arrived in Germany. The current heatwave means good business for public pools. And it's about to get better: in some states Thursday is the first day of summer break, so more students like Leopold will have time to make a splash.
Don't lose your hat
There are some precautionary measures you can take in this extreme heat: to prevent heatstroke you should spend as much time as possible in the shade. A hat is a must for babies, toddlers and bald people - and everyone else should wear one, too. It protects you from sunstroke, a disturbance the brain caused by too much exposure to direct sun.
At-risk seniors
Elderly people have to be especially careful. They don't have strong thirst signals anymore, which is why many don't drink enough water. Seniors are also more likely to experience problems with their circulatory system and faint. That's why extreme heat can quickly get dangerous for them: during the 2003 heatwave, 7,000 people in Germany died, many of them seniors.
Keep cool
This summer isn't as hot as the one in 2003 - a boiling 40.2 degrees Celsius (104 F) was measured in Karlsruhe back then - but it is unusually warm. That's why you should take any chance you can get to cool down. Just make sure to reapply your sunscreen after each shower or take a lap in the pool to avoid a painful sunburn.
Leo loves showers
Animals with a thick layer of fur don't have to worry about getting burnt by the sun - lions are so lucky! But of course they still get hot. The best way to beat the heat is staying in the shade, taking a cold shower…
Ice Ice Baby
… or enjoying a nice chicken popsicle! When it gets really hot in summer, zoo animals are sometimes treated to frozen food. Herbivores get cucumber or apple popsicles, while carnivores enjoy the closest thing there is to chicken ice cream.
Like ice in the sunshine
We prefer flavors like vanilla or strawberry. Whether the ice cream comes in scoops or bars doesn't really matter - Germans just really love their frozen treats. In 2016, every German ate an average of 7.9 liters of ice cream. That equals more than 110 scoops of gelato! And most of it is, of course, consumed in summer.
Ferocious forest fires
Rangers are worried by the extreme heat. Whenever it's hot and dry for longer periods of time, the risk of forest fires increases exponentially. In Portugal, at least 64 people were killed by raging forest fires over the last few days. In Germany, the risk is high as well. But at least experts say fires wouldn't get as bad as in Portugal, because forests in Germany don't cover areas as big.
Have a cup of tea
When it's hot outside what your body really needs is… more warmth? It seems strange, but lukewarm tea does more to cool you down than a nice, chilled coke. Cold drinks make our bodies heat up to compensate. Drinking warm tea will make you sweat a little, which supports the body's cooling down process.
Why outfit choice matters
If you're still too hot after your tea, you might be wearing the wrong clothes. The perfect heatwave outfit consists of light-colored clothing that's not too tight. This way your body heat has room to escape. Long-sleeved blouses and heavy lederhosen aren't exactly perfect. In other words, southern Germany's traditional costume doesn't work all that well for scorching summers. Sorry, Bavarians!