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Headline: Around the world in 18,000 animals: Squirrel monkeys and gorillas celebrate start of new Travel the World experience at London Zoo

Caption: Zookeepers at ZSL London Zoo marked the start of this year’s ‘staycation summer holidays’ by sharing colourful world flags with the primates this week – in celebration of the Zoo’s new Travel the World adventure trail, taking place across the wildlife attraction all summer. To celebrate the Zoo’s new global experience, footage shared by zookeepers show the mischievous troop of Bolivian black-capped squirrel monkeys 'helping’ to put up mini bunting in their South American themed In with the Monkeys home, while images show supersized and brightly coloured flags being explored by western lowland gorilla matriarch Mjukuu in the Central Africa inspired Gorilla Kingdom. Primate keeper Jacob Winfield said: “We know that some people might be disappointed not to be able to travel abroad this summer, so we’ve brought ‘abroad’ to the Zoo instead - complete with multicultural arts and crafts and a global food market. “The squirrel monkeys were very ‘helpful’ when we put up their celebratory bunting ropes this morning, before playfully exploring their colourful new climbing ropes - a few cheeky members of the troop got overexcited very early on, picking up one end of the bunting and trying to put it up themselves! “Meanwhile, the gorillas - Mjukuu, Effie, Alika and Gernot - were definitely intrigued by the colourful new additions to their Gorilla Kingdom home.” Overseas travel may still be tricky for some, but beginning this Saturday (24 July), visitors can pick up a ZSL ‘passport’ and be transported around the world during a trip to the iconic Zoo - where they can visit the jungles of Indonesia to spot Sumatran tigers playing in the tall foliage, followed by the coastlines of Peru, where Humboldt penguins frolic in the surf, and on to India, where Asiatic lions lounge on the train tracks of a replica Indian village. Jacob added: “Intrepid explorers can check in at the on-site ‘Travel Agency’ to plan their trip, before being issued with a special London Zoo ‘passport’ to begin their global adventure, collecting travel stamps and learning about the world’s wildlife along the way – all without leaving London.” For sports fans, the bunting was also a chance to mark the start of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, starting tomorrow (Friday 23 July) and featuring representatives from across the globe. Travel the World at ZSL London Zoo will take place from Saturday 24 July to Tuesday 31 August; a great value day out, Travel the World at ZSL London Zoo is free with Zoo entry - book your ticket to the world now at www.zsl.org.

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