Animals including penguins, squirrel monkeys and camels took turns to have their vital statistics recorded at ZSL London Zoo.

Humboldt penguin chick Bobby, who hatched at the Zoo in April, took to the scales for his first weigh-in on August 25, while Bactrian camel Noemie – the heaviest animal at the zoo – was coaxed onto her weigh-board by camel keeper Mick Tiley.

Ham & High: Sumatran tigress Gaysha climbs on giant ruler during ZSL London's Zoo Annual Weigh-InSumatran tigress Gaysha climbs on giant ruler during ZSL London's Zoo Annual Weigh-In (Image: ZSL London Zoo)

Sumatran tigress Gaysha stretched out against a giant ruler, eight weeks after giving birth to three cubs. They were the only animals not recorded in the annual event but will be weighed at their first health check.

With more than 14,000 animals in their care, ZSL London Zoo’s keepers spend hours throughout the year recording the heights and weights of all the animals – vital information which helps them to monitor their health and wellbeing.

The annual weigh-in is an opportunity to make sure the recorded information is up to date and accurate, with each measurement added to the Zoological Information Management System (ZIMS), a database shared with zoos all over the world that helps zookeepers to compare important information on thousands of endangered species.

ZSL London Zoo’s deputy animal manager, Daniel Simmonds, said: “We record the vital statistics of every animal at the Zoo, from the tallest giraffe to the tiniest snail.

“This helps to ensure that every animal we care for is healthy, eating well, and growing at the rate they should, as weight is a key indicator of health and wellbeing. A growing waistline can also help us to detect and monitor pregnancies, which is important as many of the species at ZSL London Zoo are endangered and part of international conservation breeding programmes, including today’s Sumatran tigers and Vietnamese giant snails.

Ham & High: Tawny owl Owlberta on the scalesTawny owl Owlberta on the scales (Image: ZSL London Zoo)

“Our newest arrivals, three Sumatran tiger cubs born at the zoo in June, will be weighed next month at their first health check – which takes place at the age of three months.

“By sharing information with other zoos and conservationists worldwide, we can all use this knowledge to better care for the species we’re striving to protect.”

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