Flea Circus Tragedy

That there are flea “circuses” is bizarre enough, but a March cold spell in Germany wiped out an entire troupe of “performing” fleas, requiring the flea whisperer to secure replacements (the show must go on). Trainer Robert Birk reached out to a university near Mechernich-Kommern for 50 substitutes, which he apparently worked into the act over one weekend. Fleas, with or without training, can pull up to 160,000 times their own weight and leap to 100 times their own height.