Animals at a zoo in Rome have been given frozen treats to help them cool off as the Italian capital sizzled in a scorching heatwave on Tuesday.

Italy’s Ministry of Health has issued a red alert, the highest level of heat warning, as temperatures were expected to reach 38 degrees Celsius (100 Fahrenheit) consecutively over Tuesday and Wednesday, posing serious health risks to humans and animals alike.

Zookeepers distributed iced fruit and vegetables to the herbivores of the zoo, such as lemurs, and frozen meat or fish to tigers and seals.

"We try to provide animals with enrichment, incorporating some ice in it" the general curator of the zoo, Yitzhak Yadid said about the strategies adopted to help the animals cope with heatwaves.

AP Video by Maria Selene Clemente