Zoo’s who at ZSL this year?
Tuesday 24 January 2006
Both ZSL London Zoo and ZSL Whipsnade Zoo kicked off 2006 with their yearly ‘stocktake’, revealing some exciting conservation successes and two new walk-thru experiences.
All the keepers embarked on the year’s biggest task, the annual head count of the 600 species housed at ZSL London Zoo and 200 at ZSL Whipsnade Zoo, many of which are highly endangered.
All the animals had to be recorded from the simplest invertebrates and tiny fish to the most well-known of the large mammals.
Keepers at BUGS! and The Discovery Centre always breathe a sigh of relief that they are not counting feet, especially with the millipedes and spiders on the list. They do, however, have the challenge of the two leaf cutter ant colonies, which can be made up of up to 40,000 inhabitants.
2005 was a really exciting year for ZSL, with the opening of two exciting new walk-thru enclosures at ZSL London Zoo: our African bird safari and ‘Meet the Monkeys’, as well as some exciting births, a fifth giant anteater, and a third ginger Francois langur to name a couple.
ZSL Whipsnade Zoo also celebrated some very exciting multiple births including three white rhino calves and three Grevy's zebra foals.
So, until next year, keepers can lay their clipboards and calculators to rest, while the animals do the work!
