Animals from Prague's flooded zoo safe thanks to offer of new home in Opole

As flood water threatened Prague, Poland was quick to offer assistance. Firs t Polish tourists in the Czech capital assisted emergency services and barel y a day later Polish emergency services said they were ready to assist in an y way at a moments notice. Even the needs of flooded zoos have not been over looked. While it was too late to save a drowning elephant, a couple of rhino ceros from Prague's flooded zoo will find a new home in a Polish zoo in Opol e. "It is an emergency situation, what is most important is get all the pape rwork done to allow the animals to cross the border. I hope the various auth orities will understand this," said Mariusz Wlodarczyk, an assistant at Opol e zoo. Special boxes from Poznan zoo will be sent to transport the animals. The male rhino will find a home in England and the female will probably stay permanently in Opole. (Gazeta Wyborcza, p. 14) A.L.