Every year, zookeepers at ZSL London Zoo train and coax more than 17,000 animals into stepping on the scales to be weighed and measured.
The statistics are needed to ensure the animals are healthy -- and to make sure they're not enjoying the easy-to-come-by food in captivity a little too much. Measurements can also help determine if an animal is pregnant, which can be vital information for conservation work of endangered species.
The information is recorded in the Zoological Information Management System (ZIMS) and shared with zoos around the world. The annual event is well-documented -- and judging by these photos, justifiably so.
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