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London Zoo: Animals enjoy Easter egg hunt treats

PA Media A Sumatran tiger licks a yellow Easter eggPA Media
A Sumatran tiger enjoys an Easter treat at ZSL London Zoo

Animals at ZSL London Zoo have been enjoying Easter treats.

Staff at the Regent's Park conservation centre "stepped into the role of Easter bunny", and prepared an egg hunt for Sumatran tigers, meerkats and squirrel monkeys.

Animals clawed their way into giant cardboard eggs to "practise their natural foraging behaviours".

Manager Dan Simmonds said the animals did not "miss out on any of the egg-based action".

PA Media A tiger paws the cardboard Easter eggPA Media
The tigers played with the eggs in their enclosure
PA Media Meerkats peer into a cardboard Easter eggPA Media
Bugs filled cardboard Easter eggs given to the meerkats
PA Media A Bolivian black-capped squirrel monkey eats from an Easter eggPA Media
Sweet potato treats were stuffed into eggs for the Bolivian black-capped squirrel monkeys
PA Media A Bolivian black-capped squirrel monkey reaches towards an Easter eggPA Media
A Bolivian black-capped squirrel monkey reaches towards an Easter egg

Crispin and Zac, nine-month-old critically endangered Sumatran tiger cubs, sniffed out a cinnamon-scented trail to find their eggs.

Meerkats hunted among sand and rocks for eggs filled with moss and crickets, and Bolivian black-capped squirrel monkeys found theirs hanging in their treetop home stuffed with sweet potato, sweetcorn and peas.

Mr Simmonds added: "Easter provides the perfect opportunity to offer up some enriching, egg-based animal activities.

"It's also a great way for our visitors to learn about different animals and their natural skills."

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