Two elephants were caught on CCTV 'cuddling' before falling asleep.
18-year-old Janu and nine-year-old Sutton were seen in an adorable embrace at Noah's Ark Zoo in Somerset.
The conservation charity shared the video alongside images of the two elephants playing together.
In the CCTV footage, Sutton can be seen trying to play with Janu - an interaction which keepers described as 'a treat to see'.
After his attempt to initiate playtime, Sutton lies back down and makes room for his older roommate so they can cuddle together.
Molly Shutt, a spokesperson for the zoo, said: "In terms of the sleeping cycles, the elephants sleep on and off for roughly four to six hours a night.
"They tend to sleep for between one to two hours in one stint, then get up and move around a little, before going down for their next bout of sleep which is almost always on their opposite side.
"This is because elephants are such large and heavy animals that if they spend too long lying on one side, it can cause pressure build up on their internal organs."
The zoo have incorporated 'deep sand mounds' as sleeping platforms for the elephants in their care - and the large mammals are always given nocturnal access to the outdoors.
Find out more: https://www.noahsarkzoofarm.co.uk/
18-year-old Janu and nine-year-old Sutton were seen in an adorable embrace at Noah's Ark Zoo in Somerset.
The conservation charity shared the video alongside images of the two elephants playing together.
In the CCTV footage, Sutton can be seen trying to play with Janu - an interaction which keepers described as 'a treat to see'.
After his attempt to initiate playtime, Sutton lies back down and makes room for his older roommate so they can cuddle together.
Molly Shutt, a spokesperson for the zoo, said: "In terms of the sleeping cycles, the elephants sleep on and off for roughly four to six hours a night.
"They tend to sleep for between one to two hours in one stint, then get up and move around a little, before going down for their next bout of sleep which is almost always on their opposite side.
"This is because elephants are such large and heavy animals that if they spend too long lying on one side, it can cause pressure build up on their internal organs."
The zoo have incorporated 'deep sand mounds' as sleeping platforms for the elephants in their care - and the large mammals are always given nocturnal access to the outdoors.
Find out more: https://www.noahsarkzoofarm.co.uk/
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