Animals in Madrid Zoo chew on popsicles for heatwave relief

With temperatures soaring above 40 degrees Celsius amid a searing heatwave in Spain, Madrid Zoo's top celebrity, Bing Xing the giant panda, enjoyed watermelon popsicles on Wednesday provided by keepers to keep him and other animals cool.

In addition to his daily ration of 50kg of fresh bamboo, Bing Xing, whose name means "star of ice", eagerly chewed on frozen fruit on a stick.

Predatory animals like lions or seals were offered popsicles made from beef or fish, depending on their diet. Zoo keepers also sprayed animals with water.

The peak of the heatwave is expected on Thursday, but parts of Spain are already on red alert for extreme heat and several wildfires have been raging stoked by the high temperatures.