London Zoo begins annual weigh-in of 560 species and it's tipping the scales of cute

The record-taking takes place over a period of 7 days.

August 22, 2019, 1:00 PM

LONDON -- Lions, meerkats and penguins were on display along with a host of other species as the annual weigh-in at London Zoo began Thursday.

The annual weigh-in provides an invaluable opportunity for zookeepers to make sure the information on the animals they've recorded throughout the year is up to date.

An Asiatic lioness during the Zoo's annual weigh-in, in London, Aug. 22, 2019.
Kirsty Wigglesworth/AP

There are around 560 species and 19,000 individual animals in the zoo, meaning the annual weigh-in takes over seven days to complete.

Zookeeper Liam weighs Brush the Coati during the annual weigh-in at ZSL London Zoo, London, Aug. 22, 2019.
Dominic Lipinski/PA Wire via ZUMA Press

Among the animals ABC News witnessed being weighed were a meerkat named Dracula, the heaviest of the zoo's mob, who weighed in at 2.2 lbs.

Meerkats are weighed on a scale during a photo call at London Zoo on Aug. 22, 2019.
Isabel Infantes/AFP/Getty Images

Meanwhile, Oni the okapi -- an endangered species from Central Africa and a relative of the giraffe -- tipped the scales at 554 lbs.

Oni the Okapi during his weigh-in at the London Zoo, Aug. 22, 2019.
Amanda Rose/Avalon.re via Newscom

"We weigh our animals, some of them every day, some of them every week, but what we're doing at this weigh-in is making sure our records are up to date," Teague Stubbington, London Zoo's assistant curator of mammals, told ABC News. "Weight is really important, as weight is very closely linked to health in animals. Changes in their weight might mean we have to change their diet."

Humboldt Penguins stand on a set of scales during the annual weigh-in at ZSL London Zoo, London, Aug. 22, 2019.
Dominic Lipinski/PA Wire via ZUMA Press

Most importantly, the annual weigh-in can detect pregnancy in some of London Zoo's endangered populations, which can then be shared with other zoos and conservationist groups worldwide.

London Zoo employee Chelsea Reid-Johnson weighs Nancy the porcupine on a scale during a photo call at London Zoo on Aug. 22, 2019.
Isabel Infantes/AFP/Getty Images

One of the main challenges is bringing the animals to the scales, with some more willing than others to accept the treats that entice them to stay still enough to record their weight.

An African Bull frog gets weighed at the London Zoo in London, Aug. 22, 2019.
Andy Rain/EPA via Shutterstock

"Weighing animals can be a little bit of a challenge, but what we use for our animals is to give them choice and control in their enclosures and give them positive reinforcement as a training technique," Stubbington said. "We introduce the scales gradually into their environments so they become comfortable, and when they're on the scale, sometimes we'll give them a food reward or an enrichment activity."

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