This sad footage shows a group of lemurs at a Chinese zoo tightly hugging each other to keep warm after being left on the concrete during freezing winter weather.

The poor ring-tailed creatures are reportedly living at a zoo in Linyi, in Shandong Province.

In a video captured by a girl – identified only be her surname Ni in local media – the lemurs, used to the hot African weather, can be seen having a hard time adjusting to China’s cold temperatures.

Despite the zoo’s defensive statements claiming that the enclosure is air-conditioned, many netizens took pity on the animals forced to huddle to keep warm.

Ms Ni, who shared the video on Douyin – China’s TikTok – said in the caption: “I hope there will be no more zoos in the world. I hope that the small animals in the wild will have food to eat and won’t freeze in winter.”

Netizens criticised the zoo for allowing the creatures to appear so cold and miserable living there.

User ‘Yonglong’ said: “This zoo does not do well in all aspects of the environment.”

The ring-tailed lemur (Lemur catta) is the most recognised lemur due to its long, fluffy tail, with distinctive black and white rings.

It is native and endemic to the African island of Madagascar, where temperatures typically vary at around 20 to 30 degrees Celsius.

The ring-tailed lemur is listed as ‘critically endangered’ on the IUCN Red List.