Winter Wellness at German Zoos

Many people have called in sick in recent weeks because of the flu that's swept across the country. At Berlin's zoo, officials are making sure that their animals don't fall prey to viruses by boosting their immune systems.

"We have to watch carefully that no animal gets sick or suffers from frost bites," Rudofl Reinhard, a Berlin zoologist, told dpa news service.

While monkeys get fed a lot of fruit at the moment, "we've ordered bags and bags of vitamin C for rhinos," Reinhard said.

But zoo officials aren't just thinking of protective measures that work from the inside. They cover paths with sand so that antelopes don't break their ankles and regularly check rhino ears and elephant tails, which easily get frostbite.

Another trick to keep animals happy during those dark winter days is one that the majority of Germans use too: sunbeds. The zoo folks haven't resorted to it yet, but they say if it gets too dark, the rhinos at least will benefit from a little UV therapy.