Animals MOT

Chessington World of Adventures zoo animals receive ‘New Year Health MOT’

The ‘new year, new you’ health kicks are in full swing for many this January – and the 1,000 animals at Chessington World of Adventures Zoo are no exception.

The Greater London zoo’s keepers have had a busy start to the year performing a series of important health checks behind the scenes as part of the zoo’s ‘New Year Animal Health MOT’. From hoof pedicures to horn treatments, faecal sampling to weight tracking – the zookeepers have been hard at work making sure all 1,000 of the attraction’s animals are set for a healthy year ahead.

The zoo’s resident Southern White Rhinos had their horns treated with salve to prevent cracking and breaking. Their dung was also examined as the keepers carried out the regular faecal sampling to ensure their health and diet are in check. All five bachelor Rothschild’s giraffes enjoyed hoof pedicures to ensure their hard-working hooves were in tip top shape. On the smaller side, the zoo’s baby porcupine, Pip, took to the scales with his mum, Pickle. And the zoo’s popular penguins formed an orderly queue as they waited in line to have their January weight checked at Penguin Bay.

Adam Douglass, Zoo Manager at Chessington World of Adventures Resort said:

“Whether it’s mammals, reptiles or birds, every one of our animals’ health and wellbeing is the top priority every day here. This January we are hard at work performing the first of many thorough ‘MOTs’ to ensure every hoof, paw, flipper, fang, coat, fish scale, and even faeces sample is checked and recorded, and all of the many animals in our care, are set up for a healthy year”.