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Fri, Nov 15, 2024 | Jumada al-Awwal 13, 1446 | DXB
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From tarantulas to tigers, the animals of London Zoo get their annual weigh-in
Staff at the zoo will take several days to weigh and measure every mammal, bird, reptile, fish and invertebrate in its care
Humboldt penguins queue up to be weighed during London Zoo's Annual Weigh In in London on Thursday. — AP
Staff at London Zoo got the measure of giant gorillas, plump penguins and skinny stick insects at the zoo’s annual animal weigh-in on Thursday.
A keeper inspects a Tirachoidea Stick Insect during London Zoo's Annual Weigh In on Thursday. — AP
Zookeepers tempted squirrel monkeys onto scales with treats, totted up tarantulas and used a curry-scented measuring stick to coax Sumatran tigers to stretch out.
Staff at the zoo, which is home to some 14,000 animals, will take several days to weigh and measure every mammal, bird, reptile, fish and invertebrate in its care. The results go into a database that is shared with zoos around the world.
Katie a Mexican Redknee Tarantula is weighed. — AP
“We record the vital statistics of every animal at the zoo — from the tallest giraffe to the tiniest tadpole," said Angela Ryan, the facility's head of zoological operations.
Ryan said an animal’s weight is vital information that can reveal whether creatures are healthy, and even which are pregnant.
A Squirrel monkey is weighed and has their microchip scanned during London Zoo's Annual Weigh In on Thursday. — AP
“We have critically endangered animals here,” she said. “It’s absolutely vital that we are managing them, managing their health, that we’re breeding them and breeding them well and we’re having healthy offspring that can breed on again.”
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