Zookeepers in Norfolk and Suffolk record increase in species following annual animal count

Zoo keepers at Banham Zoo in Norfolk and Africa Alive in Suffolk have recorded an increase in animal species following their annual count.

Staff recently completed the mammoth task of counting all the animals as part of zoo licensing requirements.

Around 114 species were recorded this time round. This is an increase from 104 the previous year.

Two thousand individual animals were recorded in total, including 150 cockroaches, 35 greater flamingos, 17 red breasted geese. 

The two zoos saw several births and hatchings of species that are important to conservation during 2020, such as 31 black cheeked lovebirds, four pallas cats and two reticulated giraffe calves.  These were included in the count.

• Giraffe calf born at a zoo in Suffolk for the first time in six years

Challenges around Covid-19 and the local Avian Influenza outbreaks has not made this sizeable task easy for the keepers, who have had to adapt their usual strategies.

Keepers say they had to utilise techniques such as “Scatter Feeding” to count whilst the animals enjoy their lunchtime treat.

 The results of the stocktake will now be used to enable vital conservation breeding programmes to work successfully. 

Read more:

• Banham Zoo mourns death of beloved leopard Sariska

• ‘Undertaker bird’ arrives at Whipsnade Zoo

• Colchester zookeepers take on lockdown stocktake behind closed doors