Primates at Hanoi Zoo in the capital city of Vietnam are huddling together to tough out the biting cold.

Temperatures in Hanoi stood at 11 degrees Celsius on Sunday morning, chilling troops of monkeys at the zoo, located in Ngoc Khanh Ward, Ba Dinh District.

That the animals were braving the extreme cold and strong winds on Sunday broke the hearts of residents and tourists.

According to a Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper reporter’s observation on the same day, a female monkey was cuddling her baby to protect it from the cold snap in their cage.

At the ape caging area, the animals gathered in groups to survive the freezing weather on Sunday morning.

These images grieved many locals and visitors.

Meanwhile, zookeepers started fires inside the deer enclosure to keep the animals warm.

Elephants were shielded against the chilly winds by sheets of plastic that cover their cages.

“I am taking my children to the zoo, but when visiting the monkey enclosure, I felt heartbroken to see these primates huddling together to stay warm,” said Nguyen Minh Ngoc, a native of Hanoi.

“I hope that zookeepers will cover their cages carefully, especially on these freezing days, to shield them well."

Le Si Dung, general director at Hanoi Zoological Gardens Company, told Tuoi Tre that the zoo proactively maps out an anti-cold plan for the captive animals each year.

The cages of elephants, tigers, lions, and bears have heaters installed to keep these animals warm, he said.

“We maintain bonfires round the clock inside the deer enclosure so that they can get the heat on freezing days,” said Dung.

Dung also told Tuoi Tre that the outdoor cages of monkeys and apes are partially covered with metal sheets and palm leaves.

Besides, these cages were designed to have some shelters to house the animals on rainy and chilly days.

The zoo is providing more nutritious food for these animals to improve their ability to withstand the cold weather.

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