video transcript

All creatures great and small sped to attention at London Zoo … well not all of them hurried. The event was the zoo's annual weigh-in, an opportunity to check on the animals' well-being, says zookeeper Angela Ryan. SOUNDBITE: Angela Ryan, London zoo keeper, saying (English): "They could be underweight if there is something wrong with them, if they've got an illness we haven't noticed yet, it could be a clue to us. Also if they are pregnant and their weight has gone up. Especially if we have been weighing them regularly and we've seen a mating occur." And the more active creatures, like meerkats, present quite a challenge. SOUNDBITE: Angela Ryan, London zoo keeper, saying (English): "There's lots of them at once and you've got to get them there one at a time and they all want to be there at the same time." Thankfully the weighty task happens just once a year - substantially lightening zookeepers' loads.