I have a wildlife zoo

The animal keeper pointed to the back.

All the snow monkeys were soaking in the hot spring, except for one, which sat lonely on a stone by the edge of the hot spring!

Its expression looked somewhat desolate, staring intently in one direction, its gaze seemingly piercing through the misty vapor, over the zoo's enclosure, toward its distant homeland.

The animal keeper said, "The Monkey King is the one sitting on the side, not soaking in the hot spring. Its name is Big Black, and it has a rather solitary temperament."

Although its name was Big Black, its fur was actually gray, just a bit darker, as if highlighted with a few strokes of an ink-soaked brush, the ink spreading out softly.

Amamiya Kokoro looked at Big Black and felt that this was a monkey with a story!

Could it be that monkeys too long for their homeland and miss their relatives?

Of course, it could also be worried about other things.

Big Black just squatted there, when a small snow monkey noticed its dazed expression.

Climbing out of the hot spring, it ran up to Big Black, cuddling up against its body.

It seemed to feel that in such weather, Big Black alone was too cold and needed a companion to huddle with for warmth.

Big Black paid it no attention, maintaining an indifferent expression, as if it didn't see the small snow monkey at all.

The small snow monkey leaned against Big Black's sturdy thigh and started to pick at the fur on its own belly.

Big Black was solitary by nature, preferring to be alone rather than interacting with other monkeys.

It started to walk on all fours on the stone by the edge of the hot spring pool, attracting the curious gaze of the small snow monkey.

After a few steps, Big Black crouched down and leaped with a bound!

Its robust body landed on a rock, and with a light hop, it jumped further away.

The small snow monkey scratched the fur on its chest, with an innocent and bewildered look, not understanding why Big Black didn't want to stay with it and followed after him!

The other little snow monkeys soaking in the hot spring, seeing their companion leave the water, couldn't sit still either.

They chased after him one after another, gathering around Big Black, pestering him to stay.

Big Black sat in the snow, tucking his paws into his chest, his head bowed.

Glancing at the mischievously approaching small snow monkeys, he suddenly lunged forward, mouth slightly open!

He made a threatening gesture, giving the small snow monkeys a scare.

They sat down with a thud, raising their paws defensively, looking bewildered at Big Black.

Big Black stared at it for two seconds, then closed its mouth, and its serious face seemed to relax and soften a bit, blinking twice.

It was like a stern elder, pretending to be angry to tease the little ones!

The small snow monkey snapped back to reality, turned its head, and went to find its companions to play.

Big Black lowered its head again, tucking its paws, seemingly lost in thought.

But occasionally, it would raise its head, glancing with the corner of its eyes at the playful frolicking small snow monkeys, with a hint of tenderness in its gaze.

For the little snow monkeys, the most important thing each day was to play carefree.

One little snow monkey used its paws to make a snowball, while a companion took advantage while it was busily engaged, running a couple of steps on the snowy ground and nimbly jumping onto its back!

Hugging its back, the monkey effortlessly leaped up before the other could stand, somersaulting in mid-air to land, performing a high-difficulty acrobatic stunt.

The little snow monkey held the snowball it had made close to its chest with one front paw and raced away in a flash, its companion chasing after it.

They played with the snowball not by throwing it at each other like humans might, but more like rugby, keeping the snowball safe from other monkeys and pursuing the one with the snowball.

No one knows how these snow monkeys came up with this way of playing.

The process of playing was also a rehearsal for future competition!

The first little snow monkey to leave the hot spring with a finished snowball, tucked it under its paws, stood up, and walked over to Big Black, hoping to get him to join in the fun, but Big Black refused.

Big Black crouched on the ground, scooped up a handful of snow, and tasted it. The little snow monkey played with the snow pile nearby.

Anzu watched this harmonious scene and couldn't help but exclaim, "So much love!"

Amamiya Kokoro said, "Big Black seems very cold and ruthless, but his heart is actually very tender!"

Anzu nodded, "Even though he doesn't want to play with the little monkeys, he also didn't drive them away."

A curious tourist asked, "I remember macaques have a hierarchy, don't they? Beautiful female monkeys and the Monkey King get first pick, and the best food is also for the Monkey King first. Other monkeys need to show respect to the Monkey King. Why can these snow monkeys bathe together in the hot spring, and the little ones don't seem to follow any rules?"

The animal keeper explained, "That's right, snow monkeys have the same rules!

For these snow monkeys, this hot spring pool is spacious enough for everyone to soak together.

If there are too many monkeys, the Monkey King and other sub-leaders, high-ranking females and juveniles get to soak first. Other monkeys that want to enter will be attacked and driven away.

However, snow monkeys are quite united! Faced with the harsh winter, only unity can help them to survive better.

The leader will also coordinate, letting everyone squeeze in a bit, giving up some space, to avoid larger conflicts from erupting.

When snow monkeys have conflicts, they will groom each other's fur to make peace. Grooming is the glue that maintains relationships within the troop, keeping them clean, providing free food, calming the mood, and benefiting both parties."

"Monkey troops are like a mini-society, huh! Such complex relationships."

"Their social interactions are quite interesting."

Seeing the tourists captivated, the animal keeper smiled and expanded the explanation, "While humans can add clothes and use heating to stay warm, snow monkeys can soak in hot springs to keep warm, and other animals also have various methods to cope with the cold!

The most common method is to dig a cave for warmth!

Small animals like lemmings will dig little snow pits to create an isolated environment for themselves, just like the igloos of the Inuit. They will also burrow tunnels so that, even if the wind is strong and the weather cold, they can still live comfortably.

Animals like foxes and wolves will grow thick winter fur for insulation. When the weather warms up, they'll sport shorter fur.

Emperor penguins living in Antarctica stand often on cold ice and snow, but their special circulatory system can adjust blood flow based on foot temperature, ensuring their feet receive enough blood to stay just a few degrees above freezing point, preventing them from freezing upon contact with ice.

Reptiles and amphibians like turtles, snakes, and lizards hibernate in winter, slowing down their metabolism until the warm days return.

Some migratory birds head on long journeys to warmer places to overwinter when winter comes! Recently in our zoo, we have some yellow-breasted buntings that have come to overwinter, and occasionally their figures can be seen in the paddy fields of the Native Species Exhibit area.

Some animals may rely on the warmth created by humans to get through the winter. For instance, stray cats might crawl under car engines to warm themselves with the heat from the engines."