Animals Keeping Warm Amid Chilly Weather
Monkeys at a zoo in Aichi Prefecture, central Japan, are gathering around a bonfire to warm up in the winter cold.
The Japan Monkey Centre in Inuyama City showcases the event every year. The custom began nearly 60 years ago when zookeepers made a bonfire for themselves ... and the monkeys who are usually scared of fire moved closer to enjoy its warmth.
On Sunday, members of the media were invited to watch the monkeys gathering around the fire to warm their stomachs and backs.
The zoo says it will not allow visitors to throw food to the monkeys to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, and instead will focus on live-streaming footage of the animals.
At a zoo in Okayama City, western Japan, a capybara enjoyed a hot bath filled with aromatic yuzu citrus fruit on Monday ... a winter solstice tradition usually enjoyed by humans in Japan.
Zookeepers at the Ikeda Zoo began providing a hot outdoor bath for the giant South American rodent from mid-October to help him cope with the cold weather.
About 30 yuzu fruit were placed in the water on Monday. The capybara was seen relaxing by himself in the hot bath, much to the delight of the visitors.
