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Whipsnade Zoo animals lured on to scales for annual weigh-in

PA Media Zoo staff weigh a camel on some scalesPA Media
A Bactrian camel named Oakley weighed 728kg (1,604.9lb)

More than 11,000 animals have been lured on to weighing scales at a zoo to monitor their health and wellbeing.

Whipsnade Zoo weighed butterflies, lemurs and bears on Monday, as the site carried out its annual weigh-in.

European brown bears Minnie and Mana were encouraged using a dash of honey and the lemurs were tempted by their favourite food of sweetcorn.

"We have to come up with creative tactics to entice them," said Tim Savage, team leader of birds.

The eight-foot bears weighed 148kg and 174kg (328.4lb and 383.6lb) respectively.

PA Media Eurasian brown bear Minnie is measured during the annual stocktakePA Media
The annual stocktake includes every animal, with all other British zoos required to do the same
PA Media blue-throated macaw is weighed by staffPA Media
An endangered blue-throated macaw named Stilton weighed 782g (1.72lb) on specially designed perch scales

Their weight and vital statistics were recorded on the shared Zoological Information Management System (ZIMS) database, to help zookeepers worldwide compare information about threatened species.

Mr Savage said the information helped improve "the husbandry and welfare standards of all the animals we look after".

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