Keepers at London Zoo endured temperatures of minus 5C on Tuesday morning to conduct the annual stocktake of more than 8,000 animals, marking the zoo's bicentenary. The count, which lasts around a week, is a condition of the zoo's licence, though staff track numbers throughout the year.
Among the animals counted were 75 Humboldt penguins, who gathered for their fish supper as keepers ticked them off one by one. The colony grew in 2025 with 16 chicks hatched in one season, described by the zoo as a 'big conservation win' for the vulnerable species, whose numbers are declining in the wild.
Head zookeeper Dan Simmonds highlighted successes including breeding eight Socorro doves, a species extinct in the wild. He said: 'It's just a good reminder for the importance of conservation zoos like London Zoo, maintaining those long-term safe populations of animals that are completely extinct in the wild.'
Newcomer capybaras Kiwi and Gizmo, who arrived in the summer, left their heaters to venture into the snow for carrots from their keeper. Meanwhile, Asiatic lion Bhanu avoided the clipboard for safety reasons, spending much of his time roaring and posing for cameras. The zoo is home to four of the critically endangered lions, with a wild population estimated at as few as 600.
Mr Simmonds added: 'In the ever-increasing change and uncertainty in that geopolitical landscape, we're often reminded about the importance of nature, something that despite the uncertainties we all share that common thread of nature.' He called the bicentenary a 'proud moment' and an opportunity to reflect on the challenges animals face in their wild habitats.
