PREVIEW

BY MARK WORGAN

Some of the world’s biggest beasts had their vital statistics taken today (Thursday 27 August 2026) as they stepped onto the scales for Whipsnade Zoo’s Annual Weigh-In.

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


From the Zoo's giant giraffes to tiny cheetah cubs, every weight and measurement is being recorded to help keepers and veterinarians monitor the health and wellbeing of the animals in their care.

While the Zoo's six towering giraffes had their impressive 3 metre height measured, among those new to the weigh-in was endangered Asian elephant calf, Anu.


Although he was only born in June 2026 during ZSL's 200th anniversary year, the weigh-in revealed he is a big growing boy, as he’s gained 1kg a day from his impressive birth weight of 110kg at birth. That’s despite the fact that he has yet to be weaned.

The Zoo’s seven endangered northern cheetah cubs were also weighed for the first time at the weigh-in. Born to first-time mums Amira and her sister Zara in May, the playful youngsters are an important boost to the international conservation breeding programme for this endangered subspecies. Their first health checks provided keepers with valuable information about their growth and development, which is shared via global databases with cheetah conservationists around the world.

Southern white rhino calf Mick also stepped onto the scales, as keepers track the growth of this future heavyweight. Adult Southern white rhinos can weigh up to 2,300kg, making Mick’s early-life measurements an important part of monitoring his development. The Zoo's two newest Bactrian camel calves, Sophia and Betty, also stepped onto the scales.


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.”


Speaking about the care that goes into the weigh-in, Webb added: "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."


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 help improve animal care, support conservation breeding programmes and build knowledge of threatened wildlife – earlier this year, a ZSL-led analysis of Species360 data on elephants in human care revealed that they are now living longer, or equal to, than wild elephants.

As the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) celebrates its 200th anniversary, the weigh-In has become something of a celebration - as not only does it help the animals’ health, but it highlights two centuries of tradition.