National nature reserve's artificial caves help Chinese alligators hibernate

The Chinese Alligator National Nature Reserve in Xuancheng, Anhui province, started its winter hibernation work on Sunday.

The reserve, home to more than 10,000 artificially bred alligators, finished the construction of artificial caves in the alligators' regular living pools this year, in a project costing 16.15 million yuan ($2.27 million), which began in 2021.

The caves not only allow for temperature and humidity control but also enable real-time monitoring of the alligators' condition, providing them with a more comfortable hibernation solution.