2024 was a “large” yr for the zoo with the start of two gorilla cubs and three Asiatic lion cubs.
From alpacas to zebras – and plenty of birds, reptiles and invertebrates – London Zoo will take inventory of its residents on Friday.
The annual census of the zoo’s greater than 10,000 occupants is a requirement of its license, and the knowledge collected will likely be shared with zoos world wide to assist handle breeding packages for endangered species.
Glynn Hennessy, the zoo’s chief primate keeper, mentioned zoos are “actually good now” at sharing data.
“We can see the genetic path of every particular person,” he mentioned. “We can see who their grandparents had been, how they’re overrepresented, whether or not they’re underrepresented, so it provides us a lot data to verify we’re breeding responsibly.”
Hennessy mentioned 2024 was a “large” yr for the zoo with the births of two gorilla cubs – Juno and Venus – and three Asiatic lion cubs – Mali, Syanii and Shanti. There had been additionally 11 child penguins, at all times a fan favourite.
And for individuals who love frogs, there are 53 new ones to admire. And not simply any frog. The new residents are named after none aside from Charles Darwin and arrived within the fall from Chile as a part of an effort to avoid wasting the species from a lethal fungus.
While recording the massive mammals is comparatively easy, it’s not really easy to establish the huge array of invertebrates, which now features a thriving new hive of honey bees, which fortuitously for the quantity crunchers will solely be counted as one.