Penguins gather around an electric heater at the Chengdu Zoo in Southwest China's Sichuan Province. (Screenshot photo)
A video of penguins huddling around heaters for warmth at a Southwest China zoo has gone viral on social media.
The waddle of African penguins is seen gathered around an electric heater at the Chengdu Zoo on Friday. Some are sprawled out on the ground, luxuriating in the heat.
"What kind of penguin sits by the fire?" a visitor says while laughing in the video.
The clip, posted by Tiktok user "Renzhendexue" on Friday, has so far garnered more than 100,000 likes.
The zoo has been providing the penguins with heaters and adjusting their diet for winter since November.
A keeper explained that unlike their Antarctic cousins, African penguins are native to southern African waters and are used to temperatures that range between 3 and 10 C, according to the video.
Chengdu Zoo employees also made sure their other animals were just as cozy. Photos show lemurs enjoying similar heaters and giraffes cuddling up next to a small fire.
