Whipsnade Zoo begins animal weigh-in day

Following a 'bumper' year for conservation breeding at Whipsnade Zoo - with thousands of new animals born and hatched in the last 12 months - keepers have begun the task of taking all of the weights and measurements across the Zoo.

Every weight and measurement is being recorded to help keepers and veterinarians monitor the health and wellbeing of the animals.

Among those who stepped onto the scales was Endangered Asian elephant calf, Anu, born in June 2026 during ZSL's 200th anniversary year. Weighing around 110kg at birth, the calf's first official Annual Weigh-In has revealed how much he has grown in just a few months. Keepers, who regularly weigh the herd, confirmed the calf, who has yet to be weaned, has gained around 1kg a day.

All of the animals' weights and measurements are recorded on Species360, a non-profit organisation that brings together a global community of zoos, aquariums, and wildlife organisations to collect, share, and analyse vital data on animals in human care. These records aim to improve animal care, support conservation breeding programmes and build knowledge of threatened wildlife.

Matthew Webb, Head of Zoological Operations at Whipsnade Zoo, said; "This has been a remarkable year for new arrivals at Whipsnade Zoo, with thousands of births and hatchings. As ZSL celebrates 200 years of caring for wildlife, this year's Annual Weigh-In is about much more than numbers on a scale; every record, from an elephant calf's first weight to a lion cub's growth, help us build a better understanding of wildlife health and contribute to wider conservation knowledge of these animals.”

"Our expert keepers take a unique approach to every animal being weighed. Our elephant calf is still following closely behind mum, so a few of their special elephant biscuits helped encourage mum and calf onto the scales, while our cheetah cubs are full of energy and certainly kept the team busy trying to capture accurate weights for them all."

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