Animals at a China zoo get comfortable for winter

World Today

A zoo in northeast China’s Benxi City has taken special measures to ensure a safe and warm winter for its resident animals.

Benxi Zoo, the largest of its kind in Liaoning Province, is now shut down for the slack season, with most of the mammals there moved into winter quarters, where underfloor heating keeps room temperatures at a comfortable 16 degrees Celsius (60.8 Fahrenheit).

Chimpanzee couple Iyao and Alimao even has their own “private room,” according to staff members.

Birds those are vulnerable to the city’s harsh winter, such as turkeys and parrots, were placed indoors in cages with central heating. Herbivorous animals, though more resistant to the cold, have new straw matting or makeshift walls surrounding their usual quarters to keep off the wind.

In addition, zookeepers say they are giving the animals more balanced diets with extra meat for predatory beasts like tigers and lions, and more fruit and vegetables for primates – considering their increased caloric needs in cold weather.

This story is compiled with information from the CCTV News Content.