Annual animal count underway at London Zoo

A zookeeper in a green coat kneels near to two capybaras. The capybaras are large with brown fur, four legs and small ears.

6 January 2026

It's that time of year again, when zoo keepers tot up tigers, count capybaras and add up armadillos.

Keepers at London Zoo have begun recording an annual stocktake, to keep an eye on the more than 8,000 animals that live there, and monitor the number of babies they've had.

They began counting on Friday and it is expected to take almost a week to complete.

The results will be shared with other zoos, to help manage conservation breeding programmes for endangered animals.

A man in a hat and London Zoo coat counts penguins for the annual animal count at ZSL London Zoo. — Image caption,
Humboldts are medium-sized penguins, they have black heads with a white stripe on either side and pink skin around their eyes

Over the summer, the Humboldt penguin colony grew when 16 chicks hatched in a single season - a win for the species, which is endangered in the wild.

An Asiatic lion lies on it side next to a wooden notice reading: "London Zoo annual stocktake 2026 Asiatic lions. Bhanu Mali Syanii Arya 200 years of wildlife." — Image caption,
Asiatic lions are critically endangered, which means they are at risk of extinction if they are not protected. London Zoo has four - Bhanu and Arya and their two cubs, Mali and Syanii, who were born in Spring 2024

Some animals are easier to count than others.

The lions didn't mind being counted, as long as they could loll about.

Unlike these Giant millipedes that can barely stay still.

A zoo keeper holds a brown shiny millipede in one blue gloved hand. — Image caption,
Giant millipedes are weighed and measured as part of the stock taking each year

One keeper had to wear a snorkel and wet suit to count all of the corals in this aquariam tank, which support marine life and provide a home to many sea creatures.

A zoo keeper counts the coral in an aquarium. She wears a pink snorkel and wetsuit. — Image caption,
Many of the corals at London Zoo are endangered, and the zoo aims to learn how to breed corals to protect their future

Flamingos get their beautiful pink colour from the small animals and algae that they eat.

Each one at the zoo is labelled with a yellow tag on their leg.

A group of flamingos stand in the water at London Zoo. Their feathers are light candy floss pink and they have curved beaks and beady eyes. — Image caption,
Greater Flamingos are known for their distinctive pink feathers - and habit of standing on one leg

Dan Simmonds, head keeper at the zoo, said: "Everything in terms of conservation that we do here at London Zoo is incredibly important to ensure that we've got a safe, long-term sustainable population of, in many cases, critically endangered or in some cases extinct-in-the-wild animals."

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