How do animals stay warm in winter?

The temperature in most of China has been in continuous decline, and people have been wearing their thickest clothes to defend against the wind chill. But how do animals fight against the cold?

The temperature dropped below zero degrees Celsius in Shanghai, and in the city's zoo, visitors huddled into groups to stay warm.

Ring-tailed Lemur squeezed together too. The zoo has increased their food, adding beef, mutton, corn and pumpkin, so the animals can get fat and stay warm.

Lemurs squeeze together to keep warm.

Hot air conditioners, heated floors, heating machines and infrared lamps are in place to help the animals too.

"We put the heater in different places. Such as, for the anteaters, because they like to lean on something to sleep, we put the heater inside some of the rocks on the fake mountain, so that they can feel warm when sleeping," said Huang Zhenhua, a staff member of the Shanghai Wild Animal Zoo.

In a natural reserve in Jiangsu Province, elks also convene in groups to keep warm. There are more than 4,000 elks in the reserve and, if food is ample, they can withstand a winter chill as low as minus 15 degrees Celsius.

Giant tortoises stay indoors to keep warm in Taiwan.

The reserve has stocked enough fodder for the elks and the staff has increased the number of grazing areas. The staff will also provide water to the elk if the ditches are freezing.

As the first cold wave hits Taiwan, all animal centers are geared up to cope with it.

The wild animal reception center at Pingtung University of Science and Technology solicits donations of clothes and bed sheets annually, so that their 16 gorillas have something to protect themselves from the weather.

Fruit prepared for animals at the zoo.

At a farm in Hualian, red lizards are taking a hot spring bath. Heating lights have been placed inside the farm, the favorite resting place for the giant tortoise and koala.

In Yunlin County, the fish breeders will inspect the water temperature closely, and change water if the temperature is below minus 10. Poultry breeders add oil to their feed as additional energy supplement for the animals to defend the coldness. Every chicken's house is equipped with curtains made with sailcloth, which will raise the temperature four to five degrees Celsius.

(CGTN)