London Zoo animals outsmart keepers during annual weigh-in — one even tried sneaking a double treat

The zookeepers stepped into the facility early, knowing a lot of drama was about to go down in every cage of the zoo.

PUBLISHED 2 DAYS AGO

(L)ZSL London Zoo London, UK, (R) Squirrel monkey and capybara. (Representative Cover Image Source: Getty Images |(L) TkKurikawa, (R) shot by supervliegzus)

A buzz of excitement and curiosity ensued at the London zoo for its annual weigh-in of about 10,000 animals and 400 species. For anyone wondering, weigh-ins are essential for monitoring the health and well-being of the zoo animals. It helps zookeepers keep track of growth and potential illnesses in the animals, as it directly influences weight. On Tuesday, August 19, groups of animals were directed towards the scale, from penguins lured in with a fish breakfast to a Galapagos tortoise taking a tumble while balancing on the scales. However, the toughest customers of the weigh-ins were also the ones who tried to outwit the zookeepers for extra treats, as reported by the BBC.

A sign pointing towards the entrance of London zoo and Regent's park. (Representative Image Source: Getty Images | BreatheFitness)

Dan Simmonds, the Head Zookeeper of London Zoo, spoke with the outlet, sharing his insights on the impactful weigh-ins at the facility. He marked that the squirrel monkeys were the hardest to control among all other animals and gave zookeepers a tough time before heading to the scale. "Unlike the penguins, who are fairly orderly, the squirrel monkeys queue barge," said Simmonds. Additionally, these monkeys often try to grab a double treat by luring the zookeepers for a double weigh-in. The head zookeeper notes that regardless of how early the staff gets in to weigh all the animals, they end up staying back “super late.” Squirrel monkeys can leap horizontally up to 2 meters and have the largest brain-to-body mass ratio of all primates, twice that of a human, per the Oakland Zoo. Hence, the smartness.

A squirrel monkey eating a fruit. (Representative Image Source: Getty Images | Keith Ong)

Among the many creatures that were weighed, Polly, a giant Galapagos tortoise, turned out to be an expert as she wobbled on the scale. Her pal, Priscilla, is, however, sorted. The 30-year-old tortoise enjoyed a salad before her weigh-in and is likely to live up to 150. The tortoises were not aptly weighed this time, but the report states that the tortoises average around 125 kg. Humboldt penguins, capybaras, lemurs, and even ants participated in the annual event. The results will be shared with conservation organizations and the worldwide database after the weigh-in culminates in a week. It keeps the organization informed about endangered animals.

Close-up of a giant tortoise at London Zoo.(Representative Image Source: Getty Images | Jon C)

Besides the formalities, annual weigh-ins are an interesting affair, drawing widespread interest from the media and animal lovers. Humboldt penguins were dubbed the masters of weigh-ins as they followed an orderly manner to get their weights checked. Jess Ray, their zookeeper, revealed that the penguins have been practising the event since they were chicks. However, Petal, a particularly shy penguin, is the toughest to control of all 79 others in her cohort. “She’s quite a shy penguin. She’s gotten more and more comfortable over time, but she’s usually the tricky one," Ray explained. Their measurements were taken during a fish breakfast.

Two Humboldt Penguins standing with green coloured water. (Representative Image Source: Getty Images |paulafrench)

Gizmo and Kiwi, the capybaras, are two of the most popular animals at the London zoo. They enjoyed some scratches from their zookeeper as they patiently waited on the weighing scale. Lemurs, on the other hand, were fairly easy to get weighed. They are largely food-motivated and are generally laidback in nature. Chelsea Reid Johnson, the Lemur zookeeper, shared that male lemurs have a “stink fight” to decide mating rights, and naturally, the smelliest of the group runs the enclosure.