London Zoo held its annual animal weigh-in — putting everyone on the scales, from tiny snails to giraffes
To persuade the animals to step onto the scales, keepers use all kinds of tricks. Penguins are tempted with fish, monkeys with nuts, capybaras with cabbage, and camels with willow branches.
The data helps keepers and vets monitor the animals’ health, development, and possible pregnancies.
The information is also used for scientific research. For example, the weight of penguins at the zoo can be compared with that of their wild counterparts, helping researchers track changes that may indicate threats to populations.