Shetland ponies, goats, sheep and a llama were among 26 animals to perish overnight in a fire at the Karlsruhe zoo in south-western Germany.
Karlsruhe police said the elephants and hippos were saved from their enclosures next to the petting zoo that caught fire and burned down early today.
Some 100 fire fighters fought against strong winds that threatened to spread the flames from wooden structures of the petting zoo to neighbouring buildings.
Authorities have begun an investigation into the cause of the fire.
AP
