Ananova:

Indian elephants performing for a circus in Mongolia are being given vodka each day to ward off the cold.

The elephants are working for the Moscow State Circus which is holding its first show in Mongolia in 25 years, reports UB Post

Local circus officials are giving elephants two litres of vodka each daily to help them survive freezing temperatures as low as -28C, during the week-long show.

They have also appealed for financial assistance from the public to feed each elephant a daily diet of around 50kg of vegetables, 30kg of fruit and 20kg of bread and honey

The elephants will perform a 20-minute cameo in each two-hour show, which will also feature clowns, magicians, trapeze artists, jugglers and contortionists, the newspaper said.

The animals have had to travel on trucks from Moscow to Ulaanbaatar because they were too large to be transported by rail with the rest of the circus.