TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taipei Zoo (臺北市立動物園) ramped up its efforts to protect animals from the cold as a continental cold air mass affected the area Friday (Nov. 29). The zoo has implemented various measures, including adjusting menus to accommodate winter food supply changes, increasing food portions, and enhancing nutritional content.
The zoo stated that it also provides ginger powder, ginger tea, heaters, heat lamps, burlap bags, and straws for warmth. Primates at the zoo, such as macaques, huddle together for warmth, similar to human behavior. Orangutans, gorillas, and chimpanzees use burlap bags as capes or sit by heaters to enjoy the warmth.
The zoo emphasized that reptiles, which require the most warmth, maintain their enclosures at around 30 degrees Celsius regardless of outdoor temperatures. They use heat lamps, night lamps, ceramic lamps, and heating pads to keep turtles, lizards, and snakes comfortable during winter.
Some animals, like brown bears and certain Asian black bears, conserve energy by reducing movement and food intake. They spend more time resting or sleeping to minimize heat loss. The zoo's proactive approach ensures that all animals remain safe and comfortable throughout the colder months.
