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London Zoo fire cause still unknown ahead of stocktake

Kirsty O'Connor Keeper Zu Zanna counts penguins during the annual stocktake at ZSL London ZooKirsty O'Connor
The annual stocktake was delayed by more than a month by a fire which killed an aardvark and four meerkats

The cause of a fire which ripped through London Zoo before Christmas is still not known, as the yearly stocktake gets under way.

An aardvark and four meerkats were killed in the blaze that took 70 firefighters to tackle and left nine people injured on 23 December.

The fire delayed the annual stocktake of 19,000 animals by more than a month.

Zoo manager Mark Haben said it was "early days, we don't know the cause of the fire". An investigation is ongoing.

Brendan Cooney/Reuters Zoo fireBrendan Cooney/Reuters
It took 70 firefighters to tackle the fire, which began in the Animal Adventure section

Mr Haben said the incident had brought staff at the zoo together in preparation for the new breeding season.

The zoo reopened on Christmas Eve, but the stocktake - scheduled to take place on 2 January - was postponed to "get more staff involved" and give the zoo more planning time.

With more than 700 species to be counted the stocktake will continue throughout the week.

BEN STANSALL Asiatic lions are seen with a stock take board during the annual stock take at the ZSL London ZooBEN STANSALL
With more than 700 species to be counted the process will continue throughout the week
NEIL HALL Lemurs are posed with an abacus during a photo call for the annual stocktake at London Zoo in LondonNEIL HALL
The annual stocktake of 19,000 animals expects to welcome more animal births following a "very successful" breeding season