Staff at UK’s largest zoo measure 10,000 animals in their annual weigh-in
The huge task saw zookeepers gently coax animals of all sizes, including aardvarks, rhinos and even spiders to step on the scales.
From weighing wolf spiders to measuring Ming Jung the 4,150kg Asian elephant, staff at the UK’s largest zoo have been carrying out their annual animal assessment.
The huge task saw Whipsnade zookeepers gently coax animals of all sizes, including aardvarks, rhinos and spiders to step onto the scales as they set about recording the vital statistics of the 10,000 residents.
The zoo’s endangered Asian elephant called Ming Jung also had to be coaxed across the giant scales with the help of some of his favourite healthy snacks – where it was revealed that the 14-year-old weighs 4,150kg.
New arrival aardvarks Nacho and Terry took part in the annual weigh-in for the first time since they joined the conservation zoo.
Another first-timer was a three-month-old Northern rockhopper penguin called Dobby.
Meanwhile, Whipsnade Zoo’s smallest inhabitants, including its butterflies and critically endangered desertas wolf spiders, required some extra sensitive equipment to weigh them accurately.
“All of our animals at ZSL Whipsnade Zoo are weighed and measured regularly, but the annual weigh-in is an opportunity to review the information we’ve recorded and ensure it is up to date and accurate,” Mr Webb said.
Once every animal’s weight and measurements have been recorded, the numbers are put in a database called the Zoological Information Management System (ZIMS) which helps zookeepers around the world compare important information on thousands of endangered species.
