An unprecedented heatwave has affected southwest China and forced authorities to issue alerts. Zheng Songwu visited the Chengdu Zoo in Sichuan Province to see how the animals stay cool on scorching summer days.

An ongoing heatwave has taken large swathes of China in its grip since Wednesday, a record-breaking heatwave has affected Sichuan.

To protect animals, Chengdu Zoo is cooling them down when the temperature goes above 30 degrees Celsius. The staff place ice bricks in cages at eight o'clock every day. The entire zoo uses 110 ice bricks every day, each weighing more than 80 kilograms.

ZHENG SONGWU Chengdu, Sichuan Province "Animals, like tigers, don't usually go for ice bricks immediately after they come out. They usually only play with the bricks when they don't find the swimming pool cool enough. The staff places ice bricks based on the number of animals in a cage."

Ice bricks are not the only things that help animals chill out on scorching days. The food they eat is also different on hot days.

DENG HONGLI Chengdu Wildlife Research Institute "The nutritionists in our zoo adjust the ingredients for animals on scorching summer days. There are lots of fruits here, especially watermelon, so we feed animals like hippos and primates watermelons. We also give them seasonal fruits like peaches and grapes, and mix their water with medicine so that they won't suffer from heatstroke."

Fruits and vegetables such as peanuts and cucumbers can also be put inside ice bricks. For carnivores like lions and tigers, the nutritionists put bull's blood or bones inside the ice bricks. But, there is still much more to be done.

DENG HONGLI Chengdu Wildlife Research Institute "Animals with thick fur are more sensitive to heat, so our breeders pay more attention to them. They refill their swimming pools with cool and clean water as soon as it gets hot under the sun."

The zoo has also added sun shade nets, air conditioning, and other facilities to protect animals from the heat. According to the China Meteorological Administration, on Wednesday, temperatures in Leshan, Yibing, and Chengdu ranked the top 3 across China at 40.7, 40.5, and 40.3 degrees Celsius. The temperature of Xi'an and Chongqing can reach as high as 40 degrees Celsius on Friday. This heatwave will continue for about three days in Sichuan, Chongqing, and Shannxi Province. Zheng Songwu, CGTN, Chengdu, Sichuan Province.